'.-...  ,  '   .".'• .        .  • 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE 


HAY-DOCKS'  TESTIMONY 

BY 

L.  C.  W. 

PUBLISHED    BY   REQUEST   OF   THE 

CHRISTIAN 

ARBITRATION  AND  PEACE  SOCIETY. 
PHILADELPHIA. 


<f)H ic es  : 

BERLIN,  29  Behrens  Strasse. 
LONDON,  31  Paternoster  Square. 
NEW  YORK,  459  Lexington  Avenue. 
PARIS,  4  Place  du  Theatre  Francais. 
ROME,  107  Via  Nazionale. 

PHILADELPHIA,  310  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


1890. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  Office  of  the 

Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C., 

1890. 


MILLIETTE  PRESS, 

Camden,  N.J. 


MACKELLAR,  SMITHS  &  JORDAN  Co., 
Electrotypers. 


CHAPTER  I. 

AN   EVENING  CALL. 

"  Frances,  there  is  a  knock  at  the  door ;  will 

thee  open  it  ?  "  said  Jeremiah  Allen  to  his  daugh- 

^     ter  as  he  stooped  to  arrange  the  heavy  logs  burn- 

$     ing  in  the  deep  fireplace  of  their  living  room. 

>:      The  girl  stepped  lightly  to  the  door  and  opened 

it  to  a  tall  youth  looking  about  twenty-one  years 

of  age ;  he  entered  as  one  at  home  and  took  Frances' 

extended  hand  of  welcome  with  a  merry  little  bow. 

"  Come  in,  come  in,  James.     I  thought  it  was 
to 

>     thy  figure,  but  was  not  quite  sure  in  the  dusk ; 

sit  down." 

"  I  will,  thank  thee,"  and  the  youth  took  the 
^    proffered  chair,  while  Frances  finished  clearing 
^    away  the  remains  of  their  evening  meal, 
a  "  Can  thee  take  me  in  for  the  night  ?  "  asked 

•2    James  Haydock,  for  this  was  the  young  man's 
2     name.     "  Two  traveling   friends   have  come   to 

Father's,  and  Charles  and  I  gave  up  our  bed  to 

them.     Mother  put  Charles  on  the  lounge  in  the 
(l)  3 

448788 


THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


kitchen,  and  I  thought  perhaps  you  might  find  a 
place  here  for  me.    Is  it  quite  convenient  ?  " 

"  Entirely  so,  James,  thee  is  always  welcome ; 
I  will  arrange  thy  room  at  once,"  said  Jeremiah 
Allen,  rising  with  a  twinkle  in  his  merry  brown 
eye.  He  was  a  small  man,  thin  and  wiry,  active 
as  a  squirrel,  and,  in  his  suit  of  butternut  brown 
he  looked  not  unlike  that  nimble  little  animal. 
His  hair  was  still  thick,  though  gray  was  plen 
tifully  mingled  with  the  reddish  tinge  of  his 
youth. 

"  Frances,  bring  me  the  old  quilt  from  thy 
room,"  said  her  father,  going  to  the  closet  and  tak 
ing  from  thence  several  two-pronged  forks.  His 
daughter  obeyed  rather  wonderingly,  but  asked  no 
questions. 

"Now,  hold  it  up  for  me,  will  thee,"  said 
Jeremiah,  briskly  picking  up  a  three-legged  stool 
and  a  hammer ;  then  stepping  quickly  to  one  cor 
ner  of  the  room,  where  a  stout  post  had  been 
placed  as  support  to  a  long  roof-beam,  he  mounted 
the  rickety  stool.  Paying  no  attention  to  its  un 
steadiness,  and  holding  the  forks  between  his  teeth, 
he  struck  one  after  another  into  the  wood-work 
through  the  old  quilt,  securing  it  to  the  wall  and 


AN  EVENING  CALL. 


post  until   a  space  about  six  feet  square    was 
enclosed. 

"  The  handles  stick  out  some,  but  it  looks  as 
if  it  would  stay,"  said  Jeremiah,  stepping  back  to 
survey  his  work.  "  What  can  thee  want  better 
than  that,  James?  Push  the  sofa  in  behind  the 
quilt  and  thee  will  sleep  like  the  king  himself.  I 
pulled  the  little  lean-to  down  to-day ;  the  one  thee 
called  thy  room.  It  was  unsafe." 

"There  will  be  ventilation  here  too,"  sug 
gested  Frances,  "  the  quilt  reaches  neither  to  the 
floor  nor  the  ceiling." 

"All  the  better  for  that,"  said  James.     "  I  will 
run  the  sofa  in,  if  thee  will  hold  the  curtain." 

"With  pleasure;"  and  Frances  lifted  the 
drapery  with  two  slender  hands  as  James  pushed 
the  heavy  deer-skin-covered  lounge  across  the 
floor  toward  her.  She  contrived  however,  to 
let  the  heavy  quilt  fall  on  his  head  just  as  he 
passed  under  it,  and  it  was  with  flushed  face  and 
disarranged  hair  that  the  youth  emerged  from 
his  improvised  chamber  to  meet  her  demure 
face. 

"Was  the  quilt  very  heavy,  Frances?"  he 
asked,  looking  at  her  rather  doubtfully. 


THE  HA  YDOCKS*    TESTIMONY, 


"Surely  thee  can  tell  as  much  about  that  as  I 
can,"  she  responded  gravely. 

"I  have  felt  lighter  coverings,"  he  replied. 
"  Now  may  I  help  thee  put  the  cloth  over  the  table  ? 
Is  it  as  weighty  as  the  curtain  ?  " 

"  No,  it  is  used  for  covering  more  delicate  ar 
rangements,"  retorted  Frances,  accepting  his  help 
nevertheless. 

"  I  should  not  wish  to  be  considered  a  delicate 
arrangement,  I  think,  Frances,"  said  James,  as  he 
spread  the  white  cloth  over  the  plain  square 
table  already  set  in  readiness  for  breakfast ;  for  as 
soon  as  the  cups,  saucers,  and  other  dishes  were 
washed,  they  were  returned  to  the  table  for  the 
next  meal — closets  being  scarce — and  were  covered 
with  a  protecting  cloth. 

"  Very  well,  we  will  consider  thee  only  a  con 
venient  arrangement,  to-night.  Thank  thee,  but 
please  put  that  corner  straight,"  said  Frances, 
laughing,  as  she  gave  a  finishing  touch  to  her 
table. 

"  It  is  I  who  am  making  a  convenience  of 
you,"  said  James. 

"  Children,  stop  sparring,  and  come,  sit  down. 
James,  who  are  the  friends  at  thy  Father's  house ; 


AN  EVENING  CALL. 


have  they  come  to  attend  the  quarterly  meeting 
to-morrow  ?  " 

"  That  is  their  intention,  I  believe,"  answered 
James,  taking  his  seat  by  Jeremiah  Allen,  as  he 
answered  the  old  man's  question.  Frances  too 
obeyed  the  summons.  Plainly  dressed  in  a  light 
ish-gray  material,  she  had  pinned  on  a  bunch  of  red 
autumn  berries  as  a  breast-knot,  for  her  father  saw 
no  harm  in  her  thus  enjoying  the  beauty  nature 
scatters  so  bountifully.  If  God  made  scarlet  ber 
ries  and  yellow  leaves,  why  should  she  not  take 
pleasure  in  them  ?  And  thus  it  came  about  that 
when  Frances  hung  holly  and  clusters  of  burning- 
bush  berries  about  the  yellow  pine  walls  of  their 
simple  dwelling,  Jeremiah  Allen  never  objected, 
though  some  in  this  Quaker  community  thought 
them  useless  decorations. 

While  James  Haydock,  sitting  somewhat  in 
the  shadow,  rests  his  eyes  on  Frances'  fair  face 
with  its  oval  contour  and  soft  color,  and  tells 
Jeremiah  Allen  of  the  unexpected  visitors,  we  will 
endeavor  to  give  our  readers  a  sketch  of  this  set 
tlement  into  which  we  have  rather  unceremon 
iously  introduced  them. 

In  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  not  far  from 


THE  HAYDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 


the  borders  of  the  Dismal  Swamp,  a  number  of 
Quakers  had  dared  to  make  their  habitation  amid 
pines  and  live-oaks,  where  wild  animals  had  long 
roamed  undisturbed.  David  Haydock,  the  father 
of  the  young  man  above  spoken  of,  came  from 
England,  several  years  before  the  date  at  which 
our  story  begins,  with  his  wife  and  family,  and  not 
liking  the  bleak  winds  of  New  England  where  he 
first  landed,  he  wandered  southward  in  the  spring 
of  17 —  to  a  more  genial  climate.  His  friend  Jer 
emiah  Allen,  whose  family  had  been  longer  in 
America,  accompanied  him.  The  two  men  dif 
fered  in  character,  but  were  at  one  in  their  relig 
ious  sympathies,  than  which  nothing  in  reality 
makes  a  stronger  bond  of  friendship.  They  built 
themselves  homes,  and  cleared  and  cultivated  the 
land  that  now  rewarded  them  with  abundant  har 
vests.  Jeremiah  Allen  had  lost  his  fragile  wife 
soon  after  their  marriage,  and  her  name  was  carved 
on  a  gray  head-stone  in  a  little  New  England 
grave-yard.  Frances,  his  only  child,  is  now  seven 
teen,  and  David  Haydock's  wife  Rachel  cared 
kindly  for  the  motherless  child  and  loved  her 
almost  as  a  daughter,  especially  since  the  death  of 
her  own  sweet  girl  at  about  the  age  of  Frances. 


AN  EVENING  CALL. 


David  Haydock  had  left  England  to  obtain 
greater  freedom  for  the  exercise  of  his  simple  faith, 
but  since  settling  in  the  South  the  wrong  of  sla 
very  had  weighed  very  heavily  upon  his  spirit. 
It  was  in  the  year  1688  that  the  Friends  of  Ger- 
mantown,  a  settlement  near  Philadelphia,  had  sent 
out  the  first  protest  ever  made  by  any  Christian 
church  against  this  sin ;  and  the  Friends  had  never 
ceased  to  issue,  from  time  to  time,  earnest  appeals 
to  all  Christian  bodies  and  especially  to  their  own 
Society,  for  the  release  of  their  fellow  men  from 
bondage.  We  recall  these  facts  only  to  show  that 
the  Quakers  were  pioneers  in  the  movement 
against  slavery,  as  they  now  seem  to  be  in  their 
protest  against  war.  If  other  denominations 
should  take  up  the  peace  question  in  the  earnest 
spirit  which  animated  the  ancient  Quakers,  what 
results  might  not  be  achieved  ? 

At  the  time  our  story  opens,  many  Friends, 
especially  in  the  North,  had  already  emancipated 
their  slaves.  In  the  South  it  was  nearly  impos 
sible  to  obtain  other  than  slave  labor ;  and  the 
disapprobation  of  one's  slave-holding  neighbors 
made  it  extremely  difficult  for  Quaker  families  to 
act  independently. 


10  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

Thus  it  happened  that  David  Haydock  and 
Jeremiah  Allen,  both  Elders  in  the  meeting,  felt  a 
heavy  responsibility  resting  upon  them  in  regard 
to  these  matters.  They  had  liberated  their  slaves 
some  years  before,  and  though  two  negroes,  a  man 
and  his  wife,  had  remained  with  the  Haydocks, 
the  rest  of  their  people  had  gone  North,  for  a  "  free 
nigger  "  was  looked  upon  with  dislike  and  indeed 
was  liable  to  be  kidnapped  and  resold,  if  he  re 
mained  in  the  South.  The  Friends  had  almost  as 
great  an  objection  to  hiring  a  slave  as  to  owning  one, 
and  so  it  resulted  in  many  families  having  to  do 
most  of  their  own  household  work,  often  a  hard 
sacrifice  to  principle.  The  cases  of  those  Friends 
who  still  held  slaves  in  this  vicinity,  in  opposition 
to  the  general  views  of  the  Society,  were  to  be 
brought  up  at  the  approaching  Quarterly  Meeting 
and  they  were  to  be  dealt  with  as  the  sense  of  the 
Meeting  should  indicate. 

"Well,  young  folks,  it  is  time  for  bed,"  said 
Jeremiah  Allen,  as  the  tall  clock  in  the  corner 
rang  out  ten.  "  Frances,will  thee  get  me  the  Bible  ?" 

"  I  will,"  said  James,  whose  graceful  courtesy 
distinguished  him  among  the  youths  of  their  com 
munity. 


11 


He  took  the  well-worn  book,  in  its  smooth 
leather  cover,  fiom  the  little  shelf  *nd  handed  it 
to  Jeremiah  A  lien,  who  read  from  Isaiah  the  ac 
count  of  the  fiftieth  year  when  all  the  bondmen 
were  permitted  to  go  fcee,  This  finished,  James 
went  to  bar  the  doors  and  Frances  stooped  to  OOYOT 
the  embers  in  the  fireplace. 

"  Let  me  do  it  for  thee,"  said  James.  *  Did  I 
tell  thee  these  Friends  at  father's  brought  two 
boxes  from  Friends  in  Philadelphia  containing 
supplies  for  our  monthly  meeting  members?  It 
has  come  in  time  ;  for  father's  coat  is  getting  shabby 
and  we  cannot  get  a  *  plain  coat  '  here  for  love  or 
money." 

"  Father  wants  a  new  hat,  too,  very  badly,* 
said  Frances,  *'  that  last  heavy  rain  we  had,  he 
stuffed  his  into  the  broken  pane  in  the  window, 
He  was  too  sleepy,  I  suppose,  to  know  it  was  not 
his  old  felt  hat,  and  Jacob  Darnley  had  forgotten 
to  bring  him  the  new  window  glass  from  the  store 
"\Vhat  a  sight  his  silk  hat  was  the  next  morning. 
I  tried  to  iron  it  out,  but  the  brim  will  curl  up," 

<;  Better  up  than  down,"  said  James,  as  kneel 
ing  011  the  hearth  he  looked  up  with  a  smile  at 
her  merry  lace,  '''  I  suppose  they  \\ill  open  the- 


12  THE  HA  YDOCK?   TESTIMONY. 

boxes  to-morrow  evening  after  meeting  is  over. 
All  the  neighbors  will  be  there  to  see." 

"  I  hope  there  will  be  something  I  can  make 
a  dress  of;  this  is  growing  so  old,"  Frances  sighed, 
for  she  did  like  pretty  things  and  it  was  not  very 
often  that  she  got  them.  She  had  seen  a  dark  blue 
cloth  habit  on  a  young  girl  living  on  a  neighbor 
ing  plantation,  and  she  longed  for  one  just  like  it. 

"  If  there  is  nothing,  I  will  ask  mother  to  send 
for  what  thee  wants,"  said  James,  rising  from  the 
hearth  and  picking  up  the  berries  Frances  had 
dropped  from  her  belt,  "  Would  this  color  do  ?  " 

"Bright  red?"  exclaimed  Frances,  horror- 
struck.  "  What  is  thee  thinking  of?  Oh,  no,  I 
suppose  I  must  have  something  gray." 

"  Thy  hair  is  not  gray,"  remarked  James. 

"  Neither  is  it  red ;  thee  deserves  one  blanket 
less  for  that  insinuation,"  said  Frances,  as  she  went 
to  get  him  the  necessary  coverings  for  the  night. 
Following  to  relieve  her  of  her  bulky  burden,  he 
caught  one  of  her  hands  between  the  folds,  but 
did  not  seem  to  know  it  until  Frances  freed  it 
from  captivity  with  an  impatient  little  pull  and 
waved  it  dangerously  near  his  ears.  Then  he 
disappeared,  retreating  to  his  lounge  behind  the 


AN  EVENING  CALL.  13 

;  while  Frances  shut  herself  up  in  her  little 
room  with  cheeks  very  much  the  color  James 
had  suggested  in  regard  to  her  hair. 

Both  the  young  people  were  soon  asleep ;  but 
Jeremiah  Allen  lay  awake  pondering  the  question 
which  burdened  his  mind.  How  should  the  curse 
of  slavery  be  wiped  out  of  their  society  ?  The  re 
signing  of  all  domestic  service  would  fall  heavily 
on  many  women  among  the  Friends  and  it  was 
impossible  to  find  other  help  than  the  negroes.  It 
was  not  wonderful  that  the  eyes  of  many  were 
blinded  to  the  wrong  of  slavery,  or,  that  others 
owning  the  wrong,  knew  not  how  to  avoid  it.  It 
seemed  a  necessity,  yet  it  was  sin,  and  sin  is 
never  a  necessity. 

"  '  He  will  direct  thy  way,' "  Jeremiah  Allen 
said  at  last,  and  fell  asleep.  When  he  awoke  the 
sun  was  shining;  Frances  had  the  corn-bread, 
eggs  and  coffee  on  the  table ;  James  had  milked 
the  cows  and  fed  all  the  stock,  groomed  the  two 
horses  which  Frances  and  her  father  were  to  ride 
to  meeting,  and  both  young  people  looked  as  if 
the  weight  of  the  society  matters  lay  but  lightly 
on  their  minds,  although  they  did  truly  share 
their  parents'  convictions  and  willingly  made  the 
sacrifices  that  these  convictions  entailed. 


14  THE  HAYDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   QUARTERLY  MEETING. 

Breakfast  disposed  of,  James  Haydock  left  his 
neighbor's  hospitable  board  and  returned  to  aid 
his  parents  in  making  arrangements  for  their  visi 
tors  to  attend  meeting.  There  were  few  wheeled 
vehicles  in  this  unimproved  country,  and  the  roads 
were  not  such  as  to  encourage  their  increase ;  but 
David  Haydock  owned  a  coach,  and  when  James 
vaulted  over  the  fence  marking  the  boundary  line 
between  Jeremiah  Allen's  small  farm  and  their 
own  larger  one,  it  was  standing  in  the  barnyard 
waiting  for  the  horses  to  be  attached.  Charlie  and 
Anna,  the  younger  children,  were  standing  by  the 
carriage  watching  the  proceedings  with  much  in 
terest.  The  visit  of  these  Friends  was  a  great 
event  in  their  secluded  lives,  and  the  delight  of 
extra  feasting  in  the  house  and  of  greater  state  in 
going  to  meeting,  was  only  slightly  clouded  by 
the  prospect  of  a  very  long  session  of  the  quar 
terly  gathering.  But  Quaker  children  are  early 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  15 

trained  to  self-control,  a  most  desirable  character 
istic. 

Uncle  Billy  led  the  horses  out  and  while 
James  helped  in  the  harnessing,  Charlie  said : 

"  Brother  James,  does  thee  think  I  can  sit 
beside  uncle  Billy  on  the  front  seat  ?  " 

"  Thee  will  have  to  ask  father  about  that," 
replied  James.  "  Anna,  thee  may  sit  behind  me, 
I  will  put  the  pillion  on  Nero." 

"  Will  he  go  slowly  ?  "  asked  Anna,  for  riding 
behind  her  brother  on  his  large  black  horse,  though 
a  joy,  was  rather  a  fearful  one. 

"  I  will  keep  him  quiet,"  said  James,  smiling 
at  the  small  figure  in  a  big  sunbonnet.  "  Don't 
let  him  see  that  head-rigging  though,  he  might 
take  it  for  a  barn  door." 

"  That  should  not  frighten  him,"  gravely  re 
sponded  the  little  lassie. 

"  Thee  is  right  there ;  run  round  to  the  house 
now,"  and  James  soon  had  the  saddle  on  Nero  and 
followed  the  carriage  to  the  front  porch,  where 
stood  the  two  visitors  conversing  with  David  Hay- 
dock  and  his  wife  Rachel.  She  made  a  pretty 
picture  standing  under  the  vine-clad  lattice- work ; 
the  Lady  Banksia  roses  still  showed  a  few  late  pale 


16  THE  HA  YDOCKS1-  TESTIMONY. 

yellow  clusters  among  the  dark  green  branches 
and  the  coral  honey-suckle  threw  its  scarlet  wreaths 
over  the  brown  pillars,  drooping  so  as  to  almost 
touch  the  soft  grays  of  her  bonnet  and  shawl. 

There  was  not  much  conversation  in  the 
heavy  coach  as  it  rolled  over  the  pine-needles 
scattered  so  thickly  along  the  sandy  road,  for  the 
meeting  to  be  held  to-day  was  one  of  great  gravity, 
and  the  matters  to  be  discussed,  not  only  had  an 
important  bearing  upon  the  present  company,  but 
might  and  did,  affect  future  generations. 

As  we  have  said,  the  first  protest  ever  issued 
by  any  Christian  church  against  slavery,  came 
from  the  Friends  of  Germantown ;  and  a  copy  of 
this  protest  may  be  seen  to-day  hanging  in  the 
Friends'  Free  Library  in  that  place.  To  the  same 
profound  conviction  of  the  equal  rights  of  men  so 
boldly  put  forth  by  the  Society  of  Friends  may  be 
traced  the  beginning  of  the  abolition  movement. 
William  Lloyd  Garrison  became  interested  in  this 
cause  through  his  friendship  with  Benj.  Lundayr 
a  pupil  in  the  school  of  John  Woolman,  the  Quaker. 
Stephen  Grellet  and  William  Allen  influenced 
Alexander  I,  of  Russia,  to  take  measures  for  the 
abolition  of  serfs,  an  act  which  was  accomplished 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  17 


peaceably  in  the  reign  of  Alexander  II.  French 
men  who  were  in  America  at  the  time  of  the  revo 
lution,  were  much  interested  in  the  views  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  and  carried  their  sentiments 
home  with  them.  Especially  was  this  the  case 
with  Jean  Pierre  Brissot,  the  statesman  of  the 
Girondists.  To  his  efforts  may  be  traced  the 
Proclamation  of  Emancipation  in  Hayti  by  the 
Commissioners  of  the  French  Convention.  Thomas 
Clarkson  also  gave  good  evidence  in  his  labors  in 
behalf  of  suffering  humanity,  of  the  influence  the 
Quakers  had  over  him. 

James  Haydock  paced  slowly  along  behind 
the  coach,  and  little  Anna  sat  silently  grasping  her 
brother's  waist,  not  disturbing  his  meditations. 
The  youth  also  was  pondering  the  slavery  ques 
tion  in  a  practical  way,  for  a  young  colored  man 
owned  by  his  father  and  lately  given  his  freedom, 
had  been  hanging  around  his  old  home  in  the 
hope  of  getting  his  wife  away  from  Mr.Bolton,owner 
of  the  next  plantation ;  he  refused  to  sell  her 
to  David  Haydock,  and  indeed  threatened  to  send 
her  further  south.  Mr.  Bolton  was  bitterly  opposed 
to  Friends'  views  on  the  slavery  question  and 

knew  that  David  Haydock  only  wanted  to  pur- 
(2) 


18  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

chase  Rosa  in  order  to  give  her  freedom.  Dan, 
the  negro  boy,  wanted  to  get  to  the  sea-coast  with 
Rosa  and  take  a  sailing  vessel  to  the  North ;  but 
how,  was  the  question?  His  old  master  would 
abet  no  stealing  of  slaves  or  help  a  neighbor's 
property  to  run  away.  James  had  seen  Dan  the 
day  before  lurking  around  the  barn  and  felt  un 
easy  lest  he  should  resort  to  some  desperate  meas 
ures. 

Jeremiah  Allen  on  his  old  gray  horse,  and 
Frances  with  her  lively  brown  pony,  soon  joined 
the  Haydocks  on  their  way  to  meeting,  and  many 
a  grave-faced  man  with  his  wife  riding  behind 
him  were  added  to  the  company  of  earnest  souls 
moving  toward  the  meeting  house.  A  few  carts 
on  two  wheels  jolted  slowly  over  roots  unseen  in 
the  sandy  road  and  must  have  brought  their  oc 
cupants  in  a  very  bruised  condition  to  the  place 
of  assembling.  Occasionally  a  heifer  or  a  young 
steer  was  harnessed  by  ropes  to  these  uneasy  char 
iots,  and  carried  the  whole  family  along  with  a 
frisky  little  trot  that  suggested  a  possible  upset. 
It  was  difficult  to  maintain  much  dignity  in  these 
unevenly-moving  vehicles,  and  Frances'  brown 
eyes  danced  as  she  watched  a  family  jogging  along 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  19 

in  front  of  her.  The  father  was  driving  from  his 
board  seat  in  front  of  the  cart,  while  his  wife  and 
children  occupied  the  straw  covered  floor  behind 
him.  The  equipage  was  pretty  full,  but  the  two- 
year-old  baby  did  not  seem  to  fasten  anywhere 
and  kept  up  a  lively  oscillation  between  the  sides 
of  the  cart,  the  rest  of  the  family  being  too  much 
occupied  in  easing  themselves  over  unexpected 
obstacles  presented  to  the  wheels,  to  take  a  firm 
grip  at  any  time  of  the  flying  little  one;  and 
Frances  was  thankful  when  they  all  turned  with 
out  accident  into  the  large  enclosure  bordered  with 
sheds  that  surrounded  the  meeting  house. 

"  What  will  thee  do  with  the  baby  now?  asked 
Frances,  as  the  mother  descended  from  the  seat, 
and  with  sundry  jerks  straightened  out  the  much- 
tumbled  calico  frocks  of  herself  and  children. 

"  I  think  she  will  sit  quietly  with  me,  thank 
thee,"  replied  the  mother,  calmly  settling  the  in 
fant's  sunbonnet,  "  she  has  a  griddle-cake  in  her 
pocket  and  moreover  may  be  glad  to  rest." 

Frances  thought  this  very  probable,  and  tuck 
ing  her  riding  habit  under  her  arm,  followed  into 
the  meeting  house.  The  sun  was  throwing  golden 
beams  through  the  unshaded  windows,  mellowing 


20 


THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 


to  a  warm  richness  the  deep  brown  color  of  the 
yellow  pine  used  for  finishing  the  interior  of  the 
building;  floor,  walls,  roof  and  seats  all  partook 
of  this  ripened  tint,  and  the  cushions  softening 
the  hard  benches  did  not  deviate  from  the  general 
tone.  The  men  walked  into  the  building  one  by 
one  and  quietly  took  their  accustomed  seats. 
David  Haydock  led  his  visitors  to  the  first  place 
in  the  gallery  facing  the  congregation,  and  sat 
down  next  to  them.  The  women,  in  odd  mingling 
of  calico,  silk  and  woolen  garments,  gathered  upon 
their  side  of  the  house  with  their  children  be 
side  them;  little  legs  dangled,  and  little  heads 
propped  themselves  uneasily  against  the  single 
rail  forming  the  back  of  the  bench  ;  soon  the  last 
step  had  sounded  up  the  uncarpeted  aisles  and  a 
solemn  silence  settled  over  the  assembly.  Out 
side,  the  hush  was  scarcely  less  profound ;  the  sun 
had  absorbed  the  early  autumn  haze  and  now  lay 
clear  and  hot  on  the  rather  scant  grass  in  the 
meeting-house  yard.  No  breeze  waved  the  gray 
moss  hanging  from  the  oaks,  no  bird  chirped,  no 
squirrel  chattered,  only  an  occasional  stamp  of  a 
horse's  foot  was  heard  on  the  sandy  soil. 

After  a  period  of  solemn  waiting,  the  silence 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  21 

was  broken  by  Jacob  Pemberton,  one  of  the  stran 
gers,  who  rose  in  the  gallery,  facing  his  waiting 
audience,  and  laid  his  hat  on  the  seat  behind  him. 
A  slight  indefinable  movement  throughout  the 
meeting  expressed  its  readiness  to  listen ;  but  no 
general  change  of  position  or  expression  disturbed 
this  quiet  company.  In  a  full,  deep-toned  voice 
he  began  : 

"  This  is  the  word  unto  Jeremiah  from  the 
Lord, '  That  every  man  should  let  his  man  ser 
vant,  and  every  man  his  maid  servant,  go  free. ' ' 
Then  followed  an  earnest  setting  forth  of  the  argu 
ment  against  slavery  to  which  we  have  all  so  often 
listened.  Long  and  eloquently  the  speaker 
pleaded ;  the  sun  crept  from  wall  to  floor  and  from 
one  side  to  the  other  of  the  windows ;  sleepy  little 
heads  under  sunbonnets  bobbed  and  nodded  till 
at  last  the  hoods  were  taken  off  and  the  weary 
heads  were  allowed  to  rest  on  their  mothers'  laps 
until  the  speaker  had  finished  his  strong  appeal. 
Just  before  the  close  of  the  first  meeting,  or  meet 
ing  for  worship,  Rachel  Haydock,  giving  her  gray 
silk  bonnet  into  the  hands  of  her  next  neighbor, 
knelt  in  supplication,  petitioning  for  the  careful 
guidance  and  loving  care  of  the  Father  in  whom 


22  THE  HA  YDOCKS'    TESTIMONY. 

they  trusted,  and  in  following  whose  teachings, 
they  might  be  called  on  to  make  much  personal 
sacrifice.  A  pause  followed  the  conclusion  of  her 
prayer  and  then  the  two  men  near  the  head  of  the 
gallery  quietly  shook  hands  and  the  first  meeting 
was  over.  Several  men  rose  from  their  seats  on 
the  floor  and  proceeded  to  close  the  solid  shutters 
that  divided  the  meeting  house  into  two  rooms, 
and  so  the  men  and  women  in  their  separate 
apartments  proceeded  to  the  transaction  of  busi 
ness.  Mothers  permitted  their  restless  children  to 
run  out  and  amuse  themselves  in  the  y ard,  while 
the  clerk  of  the  women's  meeting  raised  the  shelf 
attached  to  the  railing  in  front  of  her  in  the  gal 
lery  and  placed  the  minute-books  on  this  conve 
nient  desk,  another  woman  taking  a  seat  beside  her 
to  assist  in  the  transaction  of  business. 

The  men's  meeting  may  have  greater  interest 
for  us,  for  although  the  women  managed  what 
business  came  before  them  with  much  intelligence 
and  careful  thought,  the  larger  and  more  weighty 
matters  were  handled  and  decided  upon  by  the 
men.  As  soon  as  the  necessary  preliminaries  were 
attended  to,  David  Haydock,  who  was  the  clerk, 
arose,  read  the  letters  of  introduction  for  the  vis- 


THE  Q  UAR  TERL  Y  MEE  TING. 


iting  Friends,  and  asked  at  the  same  time  if  their 
company  was  acceptable  to  the  meeting.  Several 
of  the  older  Friends  arose  to  signify,  in  a  few 
words,  their  willingness  to  receive  the  strangers 
and  listen  to  the  messages  they  felt  called  upon  to 
deliver. 

After  a  brief  pause,  Jacob  Pemberton  thus 
spoke  in  reference  to  the  subject  weighing  upon 
his  mind : 

"  I  have  been  led  to  consider  the  purity  of  the 
Divine  Being  and  herein  is  my  soul  covered  with 
awmlness.  Many  slaves  on  this  continent  are  op 
pressed  and  their  cries  have  entered  into  the  ears 
of  the  Most  High.  Such  are  the  purity  and  cer 
tainty  of  His  judgments  that  Pie  cannot  be  partial 
in  our  favor.  In  infinite  love  and  goodness  He 
hath  opened  our  understanding  from  one  time  to 
another  concerning  our  duty  to  these  people  and 
it  is  not  a  time  to  delay.  Should  we  now  be  sen 
sible  of  what  He  requires  of  us,  and  through  re 
spect  to  the  private  interests  of  some  persons,  or 
through  a  regard  to  some  friendships  which  do  not 
stand  on  an  immutable  foundation,  neglect  to  do 
our  duty  in  firmness  and  constancy,  still  waiting 
for  some  extraordinary  means  to  bring  about  their 


24  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

deliverance.  God  may  by  terrible  things  in  right 
eousness  answer  us  in  this  matter." 

Many  another  earnest  sentence  followed  and 
when  the  speaker  sat  down,  a  silence  prevailed, 
which  was  presently  broken  by  an  elderly  man,  who 
thus  expressed  himself:  "I  have  well  brought  up 
eleven  slaves  and  now  feel  as  if  they  must  work  to 
support  me."  He  said  no  more,  but  reseated  him 
self  with  his  wide  hat-brim  pulled  over  his  eyes. 
Another  acknowledged  that  he  had  fifty  slaves, 
and  could  but  admit  it  was  wrong ;  but  could  see 
no  way  out  of  it  at  present.  Hardly  had  he  seated 
himself  when  a  brisk  little  man  rose  from  one 
corner  of  the  room  and  suggested  that  perchance 
interest  had  dimmed  the  vision  of  the  Friend  who 
had  spoken  last  and  hoped  he  might  be  favored 
with  clearer  light  on  the  subject.  Another  pause 
ensued  and  then  an  anxious  looking  man  rose, 
saying :  "  I  own  but  two  slaves,  all  the  rest  having 
been  given  their  freedom ;  my  wife  is  in  feeble 
health,  has  a  family  of  young  children  and  would 
not  be  able  to  do  without  help.  I  find  I  can  hire 
little  if  any  free  service.  Will  Friends  kindly 
give  me  their  judgment  as  to  what  would  be  right 
in  this  matter  ?  " 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  25 

This  was  a  difficult  and  not  an  infrequent 
•case.  It  was  earnestly  considered ;  most  of  the 
Friends  agreeing  that  it  would  be  right  to  free 
the  slaves  with  a  proviso  that  they  should  remain 
a  limited  number  of  years  for  fair  compensation, 
and  that  in  the  intervening  time  efforts  should  be 
made  to  introduce  free  domestic  service  into  the 
community.  Many  opposing  views  were  presen 
ted,  "  but  at  length  truth  in  a  great  measure  tri 
umphed  over  her  enemies,"  and  without  any  pub 
lic  dissent  the  meeting  agreed  that  the  teaching  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  should  induce  Friends  to 
set  their  slaves  at  liberty,  and  four  Friends  were 
appointed  to  visit  and  acquaint  all  members  of 
the  Society  that  were  still  slave-owners  with  this 
decision.  This  was  a  difficult  duty,  but  it  was  in 
lime  faithfully  performed.  One  who  shared  it 
writes :  "  Looking  to  the  Lord  for  assistance,  He 
enabled  us  to  go  through  some  heavy  labors,  in 
which  we  found  peace." 

Midday  had  softened  into  afternoon  when  the 
door  of  the  men's  meeting  house  opened ;  the 
grave  company  issued  forth,  and  the  slanting  rays 
of  the  sun  lit  up  the  earnest  countenances  under 
the  broad  brimmed  hats.  On  many  of  these  faces 


26  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

one  might  trace  a  struggle  passed  through,  a  decis 
ion  reached  and  a  peace  granted  that  no  earthly 
power  could  disturb. 

"  Great  peace  have  they  that  love  the  Lord, 
and  nothing  shall  disturb  them." 

The  women  had  already  concluded  their 
meeting  and  had  their  noonday  meal.  Frances 
was  talking  to  the  wife  of  him  who  so  feared  the 
liberating  of  their  two  old  servants  and  the  worn 
pale-faced  woman  was  anxiously  awraiting  the  ar 
rival  of  her  husband.  It  was  to  her  almost  a 
vital  point,  so  unable  was  she  to  perform  her 
household  duties  unaided.  A  glance  at  his  face 
as  he  came  toward  her  showed  wrhat  was  the  decis 
ion  and  she  turned  after  him,  following  silently  to 
the  shed  where  their  old  horse  stood  sleepily 
nodding  after  finishing  his  feed  of  hay.  Frances 
ran  after  her. 

"  I  am  coming  to  see  thee  to-morrow,  Hannah 
Alston,"  she  said,  then  added  in  a  lower  voice, 
"  Father  says  the  Master  always  takes  care  of  his 
own." 

"Thank  thee,  Frances,"  said  Hannah,  turning 
toward  the  girl,  the  sweet  expression  of  a  sacrifice 
called  for  and  given,  already  dawning  in  her  worn 


THE  QUARTERLY  MEETING.  27 

face,  "  The  Lord  will  provide  for  us,  I  know,"  but 
Frances'  bright  face  was  sober  beyond  its  wont  as 
she  watched  them  ride  slowly  away. 

"  It  is  hard  for  families  like  that,"  she  said  to 
herself,  as  she  walked  to  her  own  little  pony.  Her 
father  was  still  talking  to  the  visiting  Friends  and 
the  Haydocks.  Frances  wondered  why  James  did 
not  come  as  usual  to  assist  her  in  mounting,  but 
the  young  man  having  been  keenly  interested  in 
the  day's  proceedings,  and  also  much  attracted 
toward  Jacob  Pemberton,  had  lingered  to  listen  to 
what  they  were  still  saying.  Frances  felt  a  little 
provoked  at  his  forgetfulness  and  going  to  her 
father,  touched  his  arm,  "  Father,  the  sun  is  nearly 
down,  shall  we  go  ?  " 

"  It  is  time  for  us  all  to  go  home.  Here  is 
the  coach.  Friends,  will  you  return  now  to  sup 
per  ?  You  must  be  tired,"  and  David  Haydock 
placed  his  family  in  the  big  carriage. 

A  pleasant  faced  old  man  straightened  the 
brown  cushions  on  the  browner  benches  in  the 
meeting  house,  set  the  carpet  foot-stools  or  bosses, 
in  order,  and  locking  the  heavy  door,  shut  away 
the  sunshine  from  the  now  empty  building.  He 
handed  the  key  to  David  Haydock  as  he  was  get 
ting  into  the  coach. 


28  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

"  Isaac,  thee  still  has  thy  old  negro,  hasn't 
thee  ?  "  queried  David. 

"  He  is  still  with  me,"  replied  Isaac  Coxe.  I 
doubt  if  he  wpuld  go  anywhere  else,  and  I  should 
feel  regret  at  allowing  any  one  but  myself  to  care 
for  him  in  his  old  age.  He  can  do  little  or  noth- 
ing." 

"  Thee  has  been  a  kind  master  to  him,"  said 
David,  as  he  shut  the  carriage  door  after  him. 
"  Drive  on,  Billy."  The  once  stately  coach  rolled 
slowly  through  the  deep  sand,  and  Isaac  Coxe  fol 
lowed,  having  mounted  his  horse  with  the  deliber 
ate  motion  of  old  age.  His  slave  Caesar  had 
broken  the  animal  for  the  young  master  long  ago, 
and  all  three  were  advancing  in  years  together. 
The  quiet  meeting-house  yard  was  deserted,  except 
for  a  wild  rabbit  that  loped  softly  out  of  the  shad 
ows  and,  after  a  careful  survey  of  the  premises, 
nibbled  the  sparse  grass  at  its  ease,  quite  satisfied 
that  the  Quarterly  Meeting  was  over. 


OLD  CsESAK.  29 


CHAPTER  III. 

OLD    C/ESAR. 

The  Aliens  and  James  Haydock  had  ridden 
toward  home  some  time  before,  and  parted  at  the 
cross  road  near  their  respective  homes.  James' 
black  horse  was  pacing  sedately  up  the  close  ave 
nue  of  live  oaks  leading  to  his  father's  house, 
when  Dan,  the  colored  boy,  stepped  forward  and 
laid  his  hand  on  Nero's  bridle. 

"Mars'  James,  oh,  do  tell  me  what  to  do! 
Mars'  Bolton  dun  say  he  gwine  sell  Rosa  down 
Souf  nex'  week.  I  seed  Rosa  dis  ebening.  We 
mus'  get  off  to  de  swamp  or  some  whar  befo'  dat. 
When  Mars'  Pemberton  go  'way  ?  " 

"  Take  your  hand  off  Nero,  he  will  stand," 
said  James,  for  the  horse  was  impatiently  shaking 
his  head  under  the  tightened  rein.  "See  here, 
Dan,  don't  go  to  Bolton's  to-morrow,  keep  round 
here  and  see  me  toward  evening  by  the  barn.  I 
think  I  can  help  you  get  away."  The  negro's 
mention  of  Jacob  Pemberton  had  put  an  idea  into 


30 


THE  HA  YDOCKV    TESTIMONY. 


the  young  man's  head.  If  Dan  and  Rosa  could 
only  get  away  so  as  to  join  the  Friends  some  dis 
tance  off  where  they  were  not  known,  they  could 
travel  as  Friend  Pemberton's  servants  and  no 
questions  asked.  The  thing  to  be  considered  was, 
would  the  Quaker  blood  allow  the  passive  decep 
tion  ?  James  feared  not. 

"Dars  a  pedler  goin'  cross  de  swamp  to- 
morror  or  nex'  day  an'  I  tink  he  gwine  to  cut  ober 
to  de  seacoast,  after  dat,  in  a  few  mo'  days.  He 
kinder  half  Quaker,  nebber  did  'blieve  in  holdin' 
slaves,  he  say.  Mebbe  he'll  help  us.  Can't  stan' 
it  here,  no  how,"  and  Dan  clinched  his  fists  and 
ground  his  heel  into  the  sand,  then  stepping  back, 
was  lost  in  the  deep  shade  of  the  oaks  as  the  big 
coach  came  up  the  avenue,  while  Nero  cantered 
with  his  double  burden  up  to  the  house. 

"  Run  into  supper,  Anna,  I'm  coming  too,  as 
soon  as  I  have  put  up  Nero,"  said  her  brother. 

The  young  man  was  undecided  whether  to 
ask  the  traveling  Friends  to  take  Dan  and  Rosa 
under  their  charge  or  trust  to  the  pedler  who  he 
supposed  was  going  through  to  Norfolk.  The 
Friends  would  be  the  safest,  as  they  were  known 
to  have  freed  their  slaves  and  often  traveled  with 


OLD  CsESAK.  31 


free  colored  servants.  No  one  would  be  likely  to 
question  them,  but  then  David  Hay  dock  objected 
to  assisting  his  neighbor's  slaves  to  escape,  and 
his  objection  was  shared  by  all  the  Friends.  Well, 
he  would  think  it  over  and  see  how  the  way 
opened;  meanwhile  James  was  hungry  and  the 
sight  of  the  supper  was  welcome  as  he  entered  the 
dining-room  with  its  well-spread  table.  The 
lamps  were  lighted,  and  shone  with  soft  radience 
over  dainty  damask,  clear  glass  and  bright  silver. 
Chicken,  fried  as  only  Southern  cooks  can  fry  it, 
displayed  its  crisp  brownness  at  one  end  of  the 
table ;  plates  of  raised  bread,  delicious  corn  cake 
made  of  the  delicate  white  meal,  and  flakey  light 
bread  were  ranged  in  numerous  plates  along  the 
board;  young  autumn  radishes,  salad,  and  the 
clear  crimson  of  barberry  jelly  made  a  most  in 
viting  spectacle,  and  Anna's  eyes  rested  long 
ingly  upon  it  as  she  sat  in  a  little  straight- 
backed  chair  beside  the  freshly  kindled  fire  wait 
ing  for  the  Friends  to  come  from  their  cham 
ber  which  opened  from  this  same  dining-room 
and  on  the  other  side  looked  out  on  the  broad 
piazza. 

Rachel   Hay  dock  had   just  set  a   basket  of 


32  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

pound-cake  on  the  table,  when  James  entered,  his 
earnest  face  in  a  glow. 

"  Mother,  may  I  brush  my  hair  in  thy  room? 
The  Friends  I  see  are  still  in  mine." 

"  Go  right  in,  my  son ;  Charles,  thee  needs  a- 
little  tidying  also,"  said  the  mother,  as  her  younger 
son  ran  in  after  James,  his  hair  much  disheveled. 

"  I  hate  sleeping  in  the  loft,"  he  confided  to- 
James,  "  I  wish  these  Friends  would  go." 

"  I  thought  thee  slept  in  the  kitchen."  said 
James. 

"  No,  mother  made  me  a  bed  in  the  loft  and 
the  strings  of  onions  swing  right  over  my  head 
almost  touching  my  nose,  and  the  squirrels  scam 
per  round  all  night  rolling  hickory  nuts.  I  believe 
they  dance  with  the  rats." 

"What  does  thee  know  about  dancing?  "  asked 
James,  smiling  at  the  boy  as  he  brushed  his  hair. 

"  Saw  it  once  at  Bolton's.  Come,  the  Friends- 
are  ready  at  last,"  and  they  all  drew  round  the 
bountifully  spread  table,  bowing  their  heads  be 
fore  beginning  the  meal  in  grateful  silence.  Dur 
ing  supper  the  conversation  turned  upon  the  old 
slave  owned  by  Isaac  Coxe ;  he  was  happy,  well 
cared  for,  and  would  be  retained  in  his  comforta- 


OLD  C&SAR.  33 


ble  home  until  the  end  of  his  life ;  he  was  too  old 
to  work  and  it  seemed  a  case  that  might  well  be 
left  alone.  John  Mifflin,  however,  the  Friend  ac 
companying  Jacob  Pemberton,  sat  in  silence 
throughout  the  meal,  and  afterward  expressed  his 
conviction  that  he  ought  to  visit  Isaac  Coxe ;  James 
Haydock  offering  to  go  with  him,  they  set  out  im 
mediately  after  supper.  Few  words  were  ex 
changed  on  the  way,  for  John  Mifflin  was  seeking 
Divine  guidance  for  the  performance  of  the  diffi 
cult  task  before  him,  and  James  was  pondering 
whether  it  were  wise  to  introduce  the  subject  of 
the  boy  Dan's  escape  with  Rosa,  to  this  simple- 
minded  man. 

Finally  before  reaching  the  house,  he  spoke, 
"  What  does  thee  think  about  helping  slaves  to 
run  away  from  their  masters  ?  " 

"God's  laws  are  higher  than  man's,  but  I 
should  rather  remunerate  the  owner  for  his  loss," 
was  the  answer,  and  there  was  no  time  for  further 
discussion.  In  response  to  their  knock,  Isaac 
Coxe  opened  the  door  and  politely  received  his 
visitors.  They  sat  down,  and  after  a  few  words 
on  ordinary  topics,  there  was  a  pause.  Isaac 

Coxe's  eves  silently  interrogated  his  callers,  and 
(3)" 


34  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

then  John  Mifflin  kindly  opened  his  concern  about 
old  Csesar.  The  slave's  master  expressed  some 
surprise  that  any  uneasiness  should  be  felt  in  this 
case,  but  finally  consented  to  sign  the  form  of 
emancipation,  saying  at  the  same  time  that  it  would 
not  alter  their  relations,  as  the  old  man  was  per 
fectly  happy.  He  rose  and  put  his  name  to  the 
paper  John  Mifflin  handed  to  him,  while  James 
Haydock  called  in  Caesar  and  gave  him  a  chair. 
The  old  man  was  bent  nearly  double ;  his  thin- 
hands  were  propped  on  his  knees,  his  white  head 
was  thrust  forward,  and  his  keen,  restless,  inquir 
ing  eyes  gleamed  alternately  on  the  strangers  and 
his  master,  who  presently  spoke,  telling  him  that 
he  was  no  longer  a  slave,  and  that  his  service  en 
titled  him  to  a  maintainence  during  his  life.  Old 
Caesar  listened  in  breathless  wonder,  his  head 
slowly  sinking  on  his  breast ;  after  a  short  pause 
he  clasped  his  hands,  then  spreading  them  high 
over  his  head,  slowly  and  reverently  exclaimed,. 
"Almighty  God,"  bringing  his  hands  down  again 
between  his  knees.  Then  raising  them  as  before,, 
he  twice  repeated  the  solemn  exclamation  and 
with  streaming  eyes  and  voice  almost  too  choked 
for  utterance,  he  continued,  "  I  thought  I  should 


OLD  CsESAR.  35 


die  a  slave  and  now  I  shall  die  a  free  man."  His 
hearers  were  too  much  moved  to  break  the  silence 
which  followed,  and  all  sat  together  in  the  flicker 
ing  firelight  until  Isaac  Coxe  said  in  a  rather  un 
certain  voice,  "Thee  may  go  now,  Csesar,"  and 
with  tottering  steps,  but  with  a  new  light  in  the 
old  black  face,  the  newly  freed  man  turned  to  the 
door  saying,  "  Good-night,  an'  God  Almighty 
bress  yo'  all,  gemen."  A  few  parting  words  and 
John  Mifflin  with  his  young  companion  walked 
away  across  the  grass  whereon  the  china  trees 
threw  wavy  shadows  under  the  moonlight,  while 
Isaac  Coxe  returned  to  his  meditation  before  the 
fire.  We  may  record  the  fact  here  that  when  this 
Friend  was  called  to  face  that  supreme  moment 
when  all  other  pictures  of  time  fade  out,  the  old 
face  of  his  former  slave  rose  before  him,  full  of 
solemn  joy  and  devout  thanksgiving,  and 
strengthened  him  as  with  the  blessing  of  God. 

The  next  morning  as  Frances  was  busy  about 
her  various  household  avocations,  James  Haydock 
appeared  on  the  threshold  with  a  bunch  of  vio 
lets  in  his  hand,  which  he  tendered  Frances,  and 
then  stood  silently  watching  her  as,  with  a  bright 
"  Good  morning,"  she  took  the  flowers  and  fast- 


36  THE  HAYDOCKS'   TESTIMONY. 

ened  them  in  her  belt.  She  looked  at  him  inquir 
ingly. 

"  Thee  has  something  weightier  than  violets 
on  thy  mind,  this  morning,  I  think,  James,"  she 
said. 

"  Yes,  I  have,  Frances,"  he  responded,  "  and 
want  thy  counsel  about  a  matter  that  I  must  de 
cide  on  to-day.  Come  and  sit  down  here  a  few 
minutes.  Thy  father  is  out  ?  " 

"  He  has  gone  to  Friend  Alston's,"  said  Fran 
ces,  seating  herself  on  the  door  step. 

"  Ah,  he  is  the  poor  Friend  with  the  sick  wife 
and  big  family  who  do  not  want  to  free  their 
slaves.  Well,  it  is  harder  than  people  know  to  do 
a  thing  like  that;  it  would  go  hard  with  me, 
Frances,  to  see  thee  toiling  as  Hannah  Alston 
does." 

"  I  never  mean  to,"  said  the  girl  quietly. 

James  gave  her  a  quick  glance  from  under 
his  black  brows,  but  her  eyes  were  looking  away 
into  the  sunny  calm  of  the  October  morning ;  she 
seemed  only  observant  of  the  blue  jays  darting 
about  among  the  yellowing  leaves  of  the  hickory 
trees,  yet  he  noticed  a  merry  curve  about  the  cor 
ners  of  her  mouth. 


OLD  C/ESAR.  37 


"  I  never  half  appreciated  this  slavery  ques 
tion  till  the  past  few  days,"  he  began.  "  You 
know  father's  boy  Dan  ?  Well,  he  is  nearly  wild 
over  the  thought  of  losing  Rosa,  and  I  don't  won 
der,  for  they  were  married  only  a  month  ago,  and 
now  he  wants  me  to  help  them  get  to  Norfolk.  I 
cannot  tell  father  anything  about  it  ;  it  is  better 
he  should  not  know  ;  I  had  thought  of  asking  the 
Friends  at  our  house  to  take  them,  but  decided  not 
to  do  so.  Once  get  them  to  Norfolk  and  they  can 
take  a  sailing  vessel  north. 

"  Can  I  help  thee  ?  Where  is  Rosa  ?  "  asked 
Frances,  her  sweet  face  now  fully  awake. 

"  That  is  just  it,"  said  James.  "  Rosa  is  down 
at  the  far  end  of  Bolton's  plantation,  where  he  put 
her  to  work,  to  keep  her  out  of  Dan's  way,  and  if 
he  goes  there  he  will  be  seen  and  rouse  suspicion, 
and  I  fear  my  going  would  have  the  same  effect. 
Thee  is  always  riding  round  the  country,  could 
thee  see  her  and  tell  her  to  slip  off  to-morrow 
afternoon  ?  Old  Bolton  is  going  away  for  a  few 
days,  and  he  really  don't  think  Rosa  will  try  to 
get  away." 

"  But  where  must  she  go  ?  "  queried  Frances. 
"  Where  can  she  meet  Dan  ?  " 


'OtD 

8S 


38 


THE  HA  YD  OCA'S'    TESTIMONY 


"I  will  tell  thee,"  replied  James.  "Dan 
knows  a  pedler  who  is  going  through  to  Norfolk 
to-morrow  night;  he  crosses  the  swamp  about 
eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  ten  miles  from  here, 
and  if  Rosa  can  get  off  while  the  hands  are  at 
supper,  between  five  and  six,  Dan  will  meet  her 
just  up  the  road  under  the  big  bay  tree  at  the  en 
trance  of  the  swamp.  It  gets  dark  early  now,  so 
I  do  not  think  they  will  be  noticed.  The  over 
seers  are  always  lax  when  Bolton's  away." 

"  Must  Rosa  walk  that  far,  ten  miles  ?  "  said 
Frances,  "  can't  we  help  them  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  is  better  not.  The  less  we  are 
seen  with  them  the  less  notice  will  be  taken  of 
their  movements.  But  I  mean  to  take  a  ride 
through  the  swamp  late  to-morrow  afternoon." 

"Oh,  may  I  go  too,"  exclaimed  Frances, 
springing  up  in  her  eagerness. 

"'Go?  Yes,  any  where,"  answered  James,  rising 
at  the  same  instant ;  there  was  an  inflection  in  his 
voice  that  made  Frances  stop  and  glance  at  him ; 
a  new  manliness  seemed  to  have  invested  him, 
an  unusual  decision  and  readiness  for  action. 
Probably  Frances  felt  the  change  in  him,  for  she 
turned  quietly  into  the  house,  her  eager  manner 
subdued  for  the  moment. 


OLD  C&SAR.  39 


"  I  will  get  my  hat  and  try  to  see  Rosa  now," 
she  said. 

"All  right,  I  will  saddle  the  pony  and  have 
him  directly,"  and  James  disappeared  to  return  in 
a  few  minutes  with  the  pony  ready  for  the  slender 
maiden  waiting  on  the  door  step. 

"  Mother  wants  thee  and  thy  father  to  come 
to  our  house  this  evening  to  tea.  The  boxes  from 
Philadelphia  are  to  be  opened  and  all  the  neigh 
bors  are  coming,"  said  James  as  he  put  Frances 
into  her  saddle,  and  then  walked  beside  her  down 
the  lane,  his  hand  on  the  pony's  neck.  Frances 
laughed, 

"  Oh,  we  will  come  surely ;  those  boxes  are 
very  interesting,  and  the  neighbors  are  such  fun, 
too." 

"  Thee  makes  fun  of  everything,  Frances," 
said  James,  an  answering  gleam  of  amusement 
crossing  his  own  face. 

"  Why  shouldn't  I  ?  "  asked  the  girl  looking 
down  at  her  companion  mischievously,  but  her 
face  softened  as  she  met  his  earnest  gaze  with  a  new 
feeling  in  it  that  she  did  not  quite  understand,  or 
was  not  ready  to  understand  perhaps. 

"  Our  roads  part  here,"  she  said,  touching  her 


40  THE  HA  YDOCKX   TESTIMONY.      

pony  lightly  with  her  whip  as  James  removed  his 
hand,  "  Supper  will  be  ready  early,  I  suppose,  this 
evening?" 

"  Yes,  come  early,"  he  answered,  as  he  watched 
her  canter  away,  and  then  turned  homeward  to 
find  the  hoy  Dan,  who  was  awaiting  him  in  the 
barn. 

"  Oh,  Mars'  James,  'spose  old  Bolton  should 
come  back  to-morror ;  'spose  Rosa  couldn't  steal 
away,  or  gits  caught,  what  should  we  all  do  ?  "  and 
Dan  twisted  his  old  straw  hat  nearly  to  pieces  as 
he  thought  of  all  that  the  next  twenty-four  hours 
might  bring  of  weal  or  woe. 

"  Don't  keep  supposing ;  don't  think  of  the 
danger,  Dan,  it  will  take  all  the  man  out  of  you," 
said  James,  who  usually  dropped  the  plain  or 
Quaker  mode  of  address  when  speaking  to  the 
negroes ;  "  I  see  no  reason  why  things  should  not 
work  right,  and  the  pedler  turning  up  just  now 
seems  to  me  a  Providential  arrangement.  Make 
up  a  bundle  of  your  clothes,  not  too  big,  mind, 
and  I  will  give  you  some  money  to-morrow." 

"  Thank  you,  Mars'  James,"  said  Dan,  as 
James  turned  to  go  into  the  house. 


THE  INSPECTION  OF  THE  BOXES.  41 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   INSPECTION    OF    THE    BOXES. 

"James,"  came  his  mother's  pleasant  voice 
from  the  kitchen,  "  I  want  thee  to  go  and  ask 
these  Friends  to  come  here  this  evening  to  supper, 
and  help  with  the  boxes,"  and  she  gave  James  a 
list  of  names  as  she  spoke.  Engaged  in  her  ample 
preparations  for  the  evening's  hospitality,  the 
pleasant  thought  of  which  brightened  her  face, 
Rachel  was  an  embodiment  of  sweet  mother- 
liness.  She  was  not  aware  of  the  new-born 
thoughts  in  her  boy's  mind.  She  knew  that  he 
had  a  quick,  restless  temperament,  derived  from 
his  Irish  ancestry,  and  that  it  had  developed 
early,  but  she  did  not  comprehend  that  he  had  ar 
rived  at  man's  estate,  neither  had  she  any  suspicion 
of  his  special  regard  for  Frances  Allen. 

Merry,  willful,  passionate,  but  full  of  energy 
and  generous  impulses  was  the  girl  he  wanted  to 
make  his  own  Surely  his  wooing  would  not  be 
difficult ;  she  knew  few  men  except  himself  and 


42  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 

he  could  but  feel  that  she  preferred  him  to  all  the 
other  youths  in  the  neighborhood.  He  would  ac 
quaint  her  with  his  feelings  and  she  would  soon 
respond.  With  these  thoughts  in  his  mind  he 
rode  forth  on  Nero  to  attend  to  the  mission  his 
mother  had  given  him ;  calling  at  one  house  and 
then  another,  and  leaving  bright  faces  behind 
him  in  every  family  that  received  the  invitation, 
for  supper  at  Rachel  Haydock's  was  a  pleasant 
prospect  in  itself,  without  the  added  attraction  of 
the  big  boxes  and  their  valuable  contents.  His 
errand  accomplished,  he  was  riding  homeward 
when  two  equestrians  cantered  quickly  past  him, 
scattering  the  sand  in  his  horse's  eyes.  So  quickly 
and  silently  had  they  come  along  the  road,  that 
James  scarcely  woke  to  their  presence  till  Frances' 
merry  face  turned  to  give  him  greeting  as  she 
flew  by,  flushed  with  the  exercise  and,  as  he 
thought,  with  pleasure  in  the  society  of  her  com 
panion  whom  he  recognized  as  young  Bolton,  the 
son  of  Rosa's  master. 

"Confound  him,"  he  muttered  under  his 
breath,  for  if  he  had  had  any  doubt  as  to  his 
feeling  for*  Frances  this  chance  encounter  would 
have  settled  it.  How  could  he  know  that  the 


THE  INSPECTION  OF  THE  BOXES.  43 


brightness  of  the  girl's  face  was  due  to  the  fact 
that  she  had  accomplished  her  mission  to  Rosa 
just  before  Hal  Bolton  met  her,  and  was  now  doing 
everything  she  could  to  draw  the  young  man  off 
the  track  and  lull  any  suspicion  that  might  arise. 
All  James  knew  was,  that  no  other  man  but  him 
self  must  have  the  right  to  bring  such  roses  to 
Frances'  face.  But  this  is  not  a  love  story,  and 
we  must  not  linger  over  feelings,  which,  though 
absorbing  in  youth,  give  place  as  years  go  on,  to 
the  knowledge  that  principle  and  action  are  more 
necessary  than  love  alone  to  make  one's  hap 
piness.  Fortunate  are  those  who  in  their  life-work 
can  gain  rest  and  strength  from  the  full  love  and 
sympathy  that  gives  a  double  spring  to  all  action. 
By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Friends 
began  to  gather  upon  the  wide  piazza,  and  in  the 
large  low-ceiled  rooms  of  David  Haydock's  hos 
pitable  dwelling.  Those  horses  that  the  stable 
could  not  accommodate  were  tethered  to  fences 
and  trees.  The  older  portion  of  the  company 
held  sober  converse  inside  the  house,  while  the 
younger  members  gathered  upon  the  porch  and 
shyly  entered  into  conversation  on  farm  matters, 
the  expected  opening  of  the  boxes,  or  the  new 


44  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

additions  lately  made  to  the  meeting-house  library. 
Frances  was  late,  and  James  having  reasoned  him 
self  into  a  more  sensible  frame  of  mind  about  the 
companion  of  her  morning  ride,  was  watching  for 
her  father  and  herself  down  the  long  avenue. 
In  a  few  minutes,  Frances  came  cantering  up 
alone,  and  James  went  to  meet  her. 

"  Father  has  sprained  his  ankle  and  will  not 
come  to-night,"  she  explained,  as  James  helped 
her  to  dismount.  "  I  have  seen  Rosa,  she  is  sure 
she  can  get  off,  and  is  so  glad ;  oh,  James,  I  do 
hope  nothing  will  interfere,"  Frances  said  ear 
nestly,  as  she  looked  up  at  him,  "thee  thinks  it  is 
safe?" 

"  We  will  make  it  safe,  please  God,"  was  his 
answer. 

"Supper  is  just  ready;  I  will  go  help,  thy 
mother  wait  on  the  Friends,"  said  Frances,  and 
slipping  off  her  long  riding-skirt,  she  was  soon 
busy  among  the  guests. 

The  repast  concluded,  eager  faces  gathered 
round  the  box  over  which  Rachel  Haydock  was 
bending,  her  gray  silken  dress  rustling  softly  as 
she  stooped  and  rose,  bringing  out  the  supplies 
sent  by  thoughtful  Friends  in  the  North. 


THE  INSPECTION  OF  THE  BOXES.  45 

"  Hannah  Alston,  thee  wanted  something  for 
the  little  ones,  didn't  thee  ?  Here  are  small  gar 
ments  that  will  save  thee  a  world  of  sewing,"  and 
the  Friend  addressed  came  forward  with  a  grate 
ful  smile  spreading  over  her  worn  face,  to  take  the 
bundle  handed  her. 

"  Tom  Clarkson,  these  have  not  come  a  bit 
too  soon,"  said  James  rather  mischievously,  as, 
helping  his  mother,  he  drew  out  a  pair  of  panta 
loons  from  the  box  and  gave  them  to  a  tall  lank 
youth  standing  near  by,  who  wore  a  pair  of  nether 
garments  much  too  short  for  him,  though  the 
darker  stripe  of  material  running  above  the  faded 
hems  showed  that  all  possible  provision  had  been 
made  for  his  growth.  The  "  letting  down  "  how 
ever,'  had  not  sufficed,  and  a  vision  of  gray  stock 
ings  still  showed  above  the  shoes. 

"  Thank  thee,  James,  I  shall  not  regret  the 
shortened  wear  of  these  I  have  on,"  responded 
young  Clarkson,  joining  in  James'  laugh ;  "  I  will 
just  step  into  the  kitchen  and  see  if  they  will  fit." 
"  Do  so,  Thomas,"  said  Rachel  Haydock.  "  Fran 
ces,  I  think  this  will  suit  thee,  will  it  not  ? " 
Frances  took  a  long  roll  of  dark  blue  merino  from 
the  hands  of  her  kind  friend  and  turned  away  to 


46  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

examine  her  new  treasure.  James  followed  her 
softly,  and  suddenly  enveloped  her  head  and 
shoulders  in  a  fleecy  white  shawl  which  he  had 
drawn  from  the  depths  of  the  box  and  concealed 
until  he  could  surprise  Frances  with  it. 

"Look  at  thyself,  Frances,"  he  exclaimed* 
and  raising  her  head  she  saw  her  own  face  re 
flected  in  the  mirror  by  the  fitful  gleam  of  the  fire. 
Flushed,  laughing,  a  little  annoyed  perchance,  her 
eyes  revealed  a  deeper  feeling  than  she  was  aware 
of,  for  there  often  comes  to  us,  curiously  enough, 
from  our  own  reflection  in  the  glass,  a  revelation 
of  something  we  were  but  half  conscious  of  be 
fore,  as  if  the  fleeting  image  knew  more  about  us 
than  we  did  ourselves.  She  pushed  the  shawl 
away. 

"  James,  thee  must  not  give  me  this,  it  was 
sent  for  some  old  rheumatic  lady  probably,"  she 
said,  half  pettishly. 

"  Will  it  not  prevent  rheumatism  as  well  as 
cure  it  ? "  he  asked.  "  Is  it  a  remedy  for  all  aches 
and  pains  ?  I  am  half  inclined  to  keep  it  my 
self.  Charlie  may  want  it  though,  if  father  sees 
what  he  is  about,"  the  elder  brother  added,  sud 
denly  aware  that  Charlie  and  Anna  had  been 


THE  INSPECTION  OF  THE  BOXES.  47 

diving  into  the  other  box,  which  stood  in  the 
shadow  of  the  curtain  dividing  the  long  room  into 
two  parts.  This  box  contained  men's  clothing  and 
a  few  plain  Quaker  bonnets.  From  the  depths  of 
one  of  these  latter  coverings  peered  Anna's  merry 
little  face,  and  enveloping  her  small  figure  was  a 
huge  gray  shawl  which  trailed  behind  her  Thus 
attired  she  watched  Charlie  struggling  through 
the  mazes  of  a  large  coat ;  he  found  the  armholes- 
with  difficulty,  and  the  final  result  of  his  opera 
tions  resembled  a  heap  of  ready-made  clothing 
topped  off  with  a  large  broad-brimmed  hat.  A 
ripple  of  laughter  from  Frances  at  the  sight  of 
the  two  little  antiques,  attracted  the  attention  of 
David  Haydock  as  he  moved  among  his  guest?, 
saying  a  few  kindly  words  to  one  and  another. 
He  turned  and  beheld  in  the  dancing  firelight 
the  transformation  of  the  two  younger  children. 
Acting  from  impulse  was  not  one  of  David  Hay- 
dock's  foibles,  but  it  was  surely  not  in  consequence 
of  any  grave  forethought  on  this  occasion  that  he 
took  the  hand  of  each  and  led  them  into  the  cen 
tral  group  of  his  visitors.  The  momentary  pause 
produced  by  the  spectacle  of  the  two  small  figures 
so  curiously  attired  was  broken  by  an  irrepressi- 


V-  THE  HAYDOCKS1  TESTIMONY. 


ble  burst  of  laughter  from  the  young  people,  and 
over  the  grave  faces  of  the  older  ones  went  a  de 
corous  smile,  while  the  little  faces  reddened  and 
bent  lower  and  lower  till  Charlie's  hat  slipped  over 
his  face,  effectually  concealing  him  from  the  pub 
lic  gaze. 

"  Hachel,  I  think  perhaps  the  children  had 
better  go  to  bed,"  remarked  David  Hay  dock  to  his 
wife.  She  took  Anna's  hand  hi  tier's  and  was 
leading  her  away,  leaving  Charlie  still  in  the  ob 
scurity  of  his  large  hat  which  he  lacked  courage 
to  raise,  when  Frances  said,  "  Let  me  take  Anna, 
please,  I  will  see  to  her,"  and  soon  the  little  lassie 
was  unrobed  and  comforted  with  a  piece  of  cake 
in  her  unexpectedly  early  retirement. 

"  Charlie,  can  thee  find  thy  way  up  stairs  ?  " 
asked  David  Haydock,  and  the  boy,  much  impeded 
in  his  progress  by  his  unaccustomed  garments, 
slowly  made  his  way  up  the  ladder  to  the  loft. 

"  i  lad  thee  not  better  leave  thy  coat  for  some 
larger  person  ? "  asked  his  father  again,  a  broad 
smile  finally  spreading  itself  over  his  counte 
nance,  and  Charlie,  reassured  by  his  father's  tone, 
hastily  slipped  out  of  the  garment,  letting  it  drop, 
while  he  fled  to  the  protecting  shadow  of  the 


THE  INSPECTION  OF  THE  BOXES.  49 

loft  amid    the  renewed   peal    of  laughter   from 
below. 

Soon  after  this  episode  the  company  dis 
persed,  well  satisfied  with  the  events  of  the  even 
ing.  James  Hay  dock  accompanied  Frances  home, 
and  discussed  the  escape  of  Dan  and  Rosa,  which 
was  planned  for  the  following  night.  The  two 
visiting  Friends  were  still  up  when  James  re 
turned,  and  he  sat  with  them  listening,  as  they 
talked  long  into  the  night  of  the  curse  of  slavery, 
and  how  difficult  it  would  be  to  eradicate  an  evil 
whose  roots  had  spread  so  deep  and  far,  twisting 
themselves  into  the  very  heart  of  the  social  system 
and  threatening  it  with  moral  ruin  at  no  very 
distant  day. 


(4) 


50 


THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  V. 

IN  THE   DISMAL  SWAMP. 

The  next  day  was  warm,  almost  sultry ;  one 
of  those  balmy  days  that  return  in  late  October 
to  remind  us  that  summer  still  lays  a  lingering 
touch  on  hill  and  dale.  The  birds  twittered,  loit 
ering  amid  the  thinning  foliage  as  though  reluct 
ant  to  quit  their  summer  haunts. 

The  Friends  staying  at  David  Haydock's  had 
made  an  early  start  that  morning,  intending  to 
visit  a  few  more  families  who  still  held  slaves  and 
required  some  peculiarly  tender  but  clear  in 
struction  as  to  the  right  and  wrong  of  so  doing. 
David  Haydocl*  and  Rachel  went  with  their 
guests  in  the  old  family  coach,  telling  James  they 
might  not  return  till  the  day  following. 

"  Oh,  mother,"  said  little  Anna,  "  may  Fran 
ces  come  and  stay  all  night  with  us  ?  I  do  not  like 
to  sleep  alone." 

"  I  would  be  very  glad  for  her  to  do  so,  if  her 
father  can  spare  her ;  perhaps  James  can  see  her 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP.  51 

to-day  and  bring  her  over,"  Rachel  Haydock  re 
plied  as  she  stepped  into  the  carriage. 

"  That  is  just  the  thing,  I  don't  believe  her 
father  wants  her  half  so  much  as  we  do.  Does 
thee,  James  ?  " 

"No,  Anna,  I  do  not  believe  he  does," 
answered  her  brother,  as  he  tucked  the  lap-rug 
carefully  round  his  mother  and  shut  the  door  of 
the  coach. 

The  day  passed  quietly  ;  James  rode  Nero  in 
the  afternoon  to  Jeremiah  Allen's,  and  the  old  man 
cheerfully  assented  to  his  daughter's  passing  the 
night  at  David  Haydock's.  He  was  very  fond  of 
James,  and  saw  with  a  calm  satisfaction  the 
friendship  between  him  and  Frances.  If  he  him 
self  were  taken  away,  he  felt  as  if  his  daughter 
might  have  a  very  happy  home  in  the  young 
man's  family,  all  of  whom  he  felt  assured  would 
give  her  a  hearty  welcome.  The  merry  little  old 
gentleman,  however,  showed  at  present  110  signs 
of  leaving  this  sphere  for  a  more  enlarged  one. 
He  was,  after  all,  hardly  past  the  prime  of  life — a 
rather  dry  and  wrinkled  prime,  to  be  sure,  but  as 
full  of  sweetness  as  the  hickory  nut  a  brown  squir 
rel  just  then  dropped  on  the  roof  of  the  porch 


52  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

under  which  Friend  Allen  sat  watching  James 
and  Frances  ride  away.  The  sun,  dimmed  by 
haze  all  day,  was  now  almost  shrouded  in  gather 
ing  clouds  which  hung  heavily  over  the  Dismal 
Swamp. 

"  We  shall  have  a  thunder-storm  this  even 
ing,"  soliloquized  Jeremiah  Allen,  as  he  noted  the 
threatening  sky. 

Frances  presided  over  the  early  tea  at  Friend 
Haydock's,  and  then  Charlie  and  Anna  watched 
the  youth  and  maiden  mount  their  horses  and 
start  for  an  evening  ride,  James'  large  deer-hound 
trotting  behind  them.  These  expeditions  were  so 
frequent  as  to  call  forth  no  comment. 

"  We  shall  be  back  soon,  young  ones,"  said 
James ;  "  Charlie,  go  to  bed  early." 

"  I  will,"  replied  the  boy,  and  Anna  called 
after  them  : 

"  Frances,  mind  thee  sleeps  with  me,  I  will 
leave  the  door  open  for  thee." 

"  I  will  not  forget  it,  Anna,"  replied  Frances, 
nodding  back  as  the  two  horses  cantered  away. 
Neither  spoke  for  some  time. 

"  How  dark  it  is  getting,  James,"  Frances  was 
the  first  to  break  the  silence. 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP.  53 

"  All  the  better  for  Dan  and  Rosa,  they  must 
"be  well  on  to  where  they  were  to  meet  the  pedler, 
but  I  would  like  to  know  that  they  have  gotten 
there  safely.  It  is  their  only  chance  of  reaching 
Norfolk  for  many  a  day." 

"  Does  thee  think  a  storm  is  coming?  "  asked 
Frances,  guiding  her  pony  nearer  to  the  big  black 
steed  James  rode. 

"  It  looks  lighter  toward  the  west ;  I  think  it 
may  clear ;  here  we  are  at  the  swamp,  it  does  look 
pretty  dark  in  there." 

In  truth  it  did ;  the  live  oaks  gave  way  to  a 
thicker  growth  of  bay  and  cypress,  the  latter  ris 
ing  with  pale  gray  trunks  from  pools  of  black 
water  whose  presence  was  made  known  only  by 
their  glimmering  reflection  of  the  faint  light  still 
struggling  through  the  trees.  Now  and  then  a 
wider  stretch  of  water  would  make  a  break  in  the 
wall  of  foliage,  but  so  silent  and  forbidding  looked 
these  pools  that  you  could  fancy  them  haunted  by 
many  a  spiteful  water-demon,  and  when  a  long 
black  snake  slid  from  under  the  hoofs  of  Frances' 
pony  and  descended  into  one  of  these  dark  pools 
breaking  the  sullen  surface  into  long  ripples  as  it 
swam  across,  lifting  its  narrow  head  to  look  back- 


54  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

ward,  she  screamed  and  put  her  hand  on  Nero's 
mane.  The  next  moment  however,  she  laughed. 

"  How  absurd  I  am,"  she  said,  but  added  as 
she  turned  to  her  companion,  "Is  thee  really  going 
to  ride  ten  miles  through  here?*' 

"Is  thee  afraid,  Frances?  We  will  go  back 
if  thee  says  so,"  he  replied.  "  I  did  not  think  it 
would  be  so  dark,"  he  added  half  to  himself. 

"  No,  we  will  go  on,"  she  said,  "  the  horses 
know  every  step  of  the  way  and  the  road  is  good." 
Her  naturally  high  spirits  thus  asserting  them 
selves,  they  rode  on  at  full  speed.  In  a  few  min 
utes  a  sharp  flash  of  lightning,  followed  by  heavy 
thunder,  told  them  the  rain  was  near,  and  as  flash 
succeeded  flash,  James  was  seriously  alarmed,  for 
these  storms  often  proved  severe  in  this  region 
and  the  high  wind  frequently  laid  low  many  a 
forest  tree. 

"  There  is  an  old  house  not  far  from  here," 
said  James,  "  If  we  can  reach  it  we  will  be  shel 
tered  from  the  rain  at  all  events." 

They  hurried  forward,  the  constant  lightning 
revealed  the  road  in  ghost-like  gleams  beneath 
their  feet,  enabling  them  to  discern  each  others, 
horses  and  the  red  body  of  the  hound  following 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWA  ATP.  55 

in  long  leaps.  The  heavy  shadow  lifted  some 
what  as  the  road  came  to  an  open  space,  where  a 
deserted  hut,  built  by  negroes  cutting  timber  in 
the  swamp,  stood  among  heaps  of  old  logs  and 
brushwood.  The  profound  stillness  of  the  forest 
was  broken  by  the  rising  wind  that  foretold  .the 
approaching  storm  and  the  branches  tossed  and 
creaked  under  the  sighing  gusts.  The  horses 
picked  their  way  carefully  over  the  loose  logs  to 
the  little  shanty,  and  James,  springing  to  the 
ground,  lifted  Frances  from  her  saddle. 

"  Go  inside,  and  I  will  put  the  horses  in  the 
shed,"  he  said  "  The  rain  is  just  beginning. 
Rex,  stay  here."  The  hound  crouched  beside 
Frances,  but  seemed  annoyed  and  uneasy,  look 
ing  suspiciously  into  the  gloom  of  the  room  be 
hind  him  as  if  scenting  something.  The  girl  too 
fancied  that  she  was  not  alone  in  that  ruined 
abode,  but  felt  as  if  some  other  living  presence 
was  there,  and  this  vague  feeling  made  her  thank 
ful  to  hear  James'  step  returning  through  the 
house ;  he  stood  beside  her,  looking  out  into  the 
obscurity  around  them.  Frances  glanced  behind 
her,  but  said  nothing. 

"We  are  fortunate  in  obtaining  shelter  for 


56  THE  HA  YDOCA'S'   TESTIMONY. 

here  comes  the  rain,"  and  he  drew  Frances  fur 
ther  inside  as  a  flash  of  lightning  came  simul 
taneously  with  a  crash  of  thunder,  and  both  seemed 
drowned  in  one  and  the  same  instant  by  a  sheet 
of  water  descending  straight  from  the  sky.  They 
could  see  nothing  through  the  gray  wall  of  rain 
that  shut  them  in.  A  rustle  and  a  deep  breath 
from  the  back  of  the  room  made  Frances  shud 
der  and  press  more  closely  to  James,  who  threw  a 
protecting  arm  around  her,  and  exclaimed  sharply, 

"  Who's  there ;  speak  out  will  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Mars'  James,"  said  Dan's  voice,  "  I  jus' 
wasn't  shore  who  yo'  had  by  yo'  or  I  would  have 
'lowed  we  was  yere." 

"  Dan,  how  under  heaven !  "  exclaimed  James, 
and  Rex  sprang  forward  to  paw  the  colored  boy 
over,  for  he  was  very  fond  of  him ;  many  a  meal 
had  they  shared  together. 

"Where  is  Rosa?,  What  made  you  stop 
here?"  asked  James.  "Why  don't  you  go  on?" 

"  Rosa's  done  gone  sprained  her  foot  an'  she 
can't  walk  a  bit  furder,  an'  de  pedler.  he'll  be  gone 
by  an'  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  groaned  Dan,  while  a 
stifled  sound  of  crying  gave  evidence  of  Rosa's 
being  beside  him. 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP.  57 

"  Oh,  James,  what  will  they  do?  Poor  souls, 
it  does  seem  too,  too  bad  after  getting  this  far. 
Will  they  have  to  give  it  up?"  said  Frances, 
withdrawing  herself  gently  from  the  arm  that  still 
encircled  her.  James  struck  a  match  and  looked 
at  his  watch. 

"Here's  a  pine  knot,  Mars'  James,  I  took 
notice  of  it  befo'  it  came  so  dark,"  said  Dan,  and 
soon  a  little  heap  of  pine  was  blazing  in  the 
rickety  old  chimney. 

"  The  only  thing  to  do  is  to  put  Rosa  on  thy 
pony,  Frances,  and  let  me  take  her  to  the  cross 
roads.  Dan  can  run  beside  us  and  we  can  all 
stand  a  wetting,  I  think,  in  so  good  a  cause,"  said 
the  young  man. 

"And  leave  me  here?"  asked  Frances,  her 
voice  quivering  a  little  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  That  is  the  worst  of  it,"  said  James,  "  I  do 
not  like  to  leave  thee  even  for  half  an  hour." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Frances  more  steadily, 
"  I  wanted  to  help  and  now  I  can.  Rex  will  stay 
with  me  and  it  will  not  be  for  long." 

"  No,  an  hour  at  the  outside,"  replied  James, 
"  the  rain  seems  stopping  a  little ;  I  will  get  the 
horses ;  Dan,  you  get  your  things  and  lift  Rosa  on 
to  Miss  Frances'  pony." 


58  THE  HA  YD OCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

In  two  minutes  the  horses  were  ready  and 
Kosa,  with  a  brightening  face,  was  seated  on  the 
brown  pony,  whose  gentle  eyes  turned  on  her  new 
rider  in  an  inquiring  fashion. 

"  De  good  Lord  mus'  have  sent  yo  yere,  Misses 
Frances,"  said  the  quadroon. 

"  I  think  He  did,  Rosa,"  Frances  gravely  re 
joined. 

"  Dan,  put  your  hand  on  my  stirrup,  it  will 
help  you  along  quicker,"  said  James.  "Frances,  I 
can't  bear  to  leave  thee,  but  I  am  sure  there  is 
nothing  to  hurt  any  one,  and  Rex  is  good  com 
pany."  He  lingered  however,  looking  wistfully 
at  her. 

"  Oh,  do  go  quick,  you  will  miss  the  pedler,  I 
am  all  right,"  cried  Frances,  seating  herself  on 
the  floor  with  Rex  at  her  side,  and  immediately 
James  was  in  his  saddle  and  both  horses  sprang 
out  on  a  canter;  they  quickly  disappeared  through 
the  fast-falling  rain,  and  the  lessening  sound  of 
their  hoof-beats  was  all  that  broke  the  stillness. 
This  ceased  presently  and  Frances  felt  that  she 
was  alone.  Rex  pressed  close  to  her,  and  soon 
Frances  rallied  and  lifted  her  face  from  his 
smooth  head  whereon  she  had  dropped  it  for  a 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP.  59 

moment.  He  pounded  the  floor  with  his  tail  as 
if  to  assure  her  that  he  would  do  all  he  could  to 
protect  and  comfort  her. 

The  rain  gradually  ceased,  till  only  the  drip, 
drip  from  the  roof  could  be  heard.  The  fire  died 
out  and  left  the  hovel  in  darkness.  But  presently 
as  Frances  looked  out,  a  soft  brightness  appeared 
in  the  sky,  and  the  moon  broke  through  the 
clouds.  The  white  boles  of  the  cypress  gleamed 
in  the  silvery  light ;  the  bay  leaves  glistened,  wet 
with  the  rain,  and  a  whip-poor-will,  balancing  him 
self  on  a  bough  near  by  sent  forth  his  long,  low  call. 

Frances  felt  less  nervous  and  the  big  hound 
lay  lovingly  with  his  head  in  her  lap,  very  quiet, 
but  awake  and  watchful.  Time  passed  slowly 
however,  and  once  Frances  started  at  a  shadow 
creeping  over  a  log,  it  was  only  a  passing  cloud, 
but  she  grew  oppressed  with  the  intense  stillness 
and  strained  her  ear  to  catch  a  sound  of  the  re 
turning  horses.  Suddenly  Rex  lifted  his  head 
and  in  another  moment  Frances  heard  the  faint 
irregular  click  of  hoofs. 

A  few  minutes  after  James  halted  in  front  of 
the  cabin  with  the  horses ;  and  she  sprang  for 
ward  to  meet  him. 


60  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY^ 

"  Oh,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  thee  back,"  she 
exclaimed. 

•'  Was  it  very  lonely  ?  "  said  he,  "  I  would  keep 
loneliness  away  from  thee  forever  if  I  might." 

Her  head  drooped  on  his  shoulder  and  she 
did  not  say  him  "  Nay,"  as  his  lips  touched  hers 
for  a  moment. 

Rex  poked  his  nose  into  his  master's  hand 
and  wagged  his  tail,  as  Frances  withdrew  to  her 
pony's  side. 

"  The  horses  look  tired,"  she  remarked,  pro 
saically. 

"  I  fancy  they  are,"  James  replied,  "  but  we 
must  be  getting  home  for  all  that.  I  feel  as  if  I 
never  should  be  tired  again,  Frances,"  he  said  as 
he  lifted  her  into  the  saddle. 

"  Did  thee  meet  the  pedler  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  He  was  just  coming  whistling  down  the 
road  as  we  reached  the  corner ;  fifteen  minutes 
more  and  we  should  have  been  too  late,"  James 
replied. 

"  It  has  been  a  good  night's  work  for  Dan  and 
Rosa,"  said  Frances,  soberly. 

"And  for  me,"  said  James. 

Frances  urged  her  horse  into  faster  pace  and 


IN  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP.  61 

Nero  following,  they  were  soon  at  the  door  of 
David  Haydock's  dwelling,  standing  silent  and 
shadowy  under  the  still  uncertain  light  of  the 
moon.  While  assisting  Frances  to  alight,  James 
longed  to  say  something  more  than  just  goodnight, 
but  words  did  not  come  easily  just  then,  and 
when,  after  stabling  the  horses  he  entered  the 
house,  the  room  was  empty  and  silent ;  a  solitary 
candle  burned  before  the  mirror,  the  hound  lay 
asleep  on  the  mat  near  the  fireplace ;  and  after 
locking  the  front  door,  James  retired  to  his  own 
room  to  dream  happy  dreams. 


62  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AN   ANGRY   VISITOR. 

The  next  morning  James  found  Frances  busy 
about  the  preparations  for  breakfast,  and  in  vain 
did  he  try  to  get  a  word  alone  with  her,  or  a  glance 
from  her  brown  eyes  which  seemed  to  avoid  him 
as  she  moved  from  the  kitchen  to  the  breakfast 
room  helping  aunt  Jane  with  deft  fingers. 

Charlie  and  Anna  kept  up  a  lively  chatter 
about  all  sorts  of  things,  and  soon  after  breakfast 
was  over  Frances  announced  her  intention  of  re 
turning  home. 

"  Father  is  still  a  little  lame  with  his  sprained 
ankle,  and  I  do  not  like  to  leave  him  any  longer. 
Charlie  is  going  to  see  me  home  with  the  old 
horse,"  she  said. 

"  No,  I  don't  think  he  is ;  he  |ias  something 
else  to  do,"  James  remarked  quietly,  and  Frances 
glancing  at  him  knew  she  had  in  this  lover  of 
her's,  a  different  person  to  deal  with  from  her  for 
mer  merry  boy  companion.  In  her  heart  she 


AN  ANGRY  VISITOR.  63 

liked  the  change,  and  although  their  ride  between 
the  two  farms  was  a  rather  silent  one,  yet  when 
they  neared  Jeremiah  Allen's,  and  James  turned 
to  her,  checking  her  horse's  pace  into  a  walk,  she 
made  no  effort  to  urge  the  pony  onward. 

"  Frances,  say  something  to  me,"  the  young 
man  pleaded.  "Thee  is  not  as  thee  was  last 
night." 

"  What  shall  I  say  ?  "  answered  Frances,  look 
ing  intently  at  a  bush  that  brushed  her  pony's 
ear.  Her  cheeks  flushed  as  she  stretched  out  her 
hand  to  reach  some  scarlet  berries  hanging  on  the 
bush. 

"  I  will  get  those  for  thee,  if  thee  wants  them," 
said  James,  leaving  Nero  to  nibble  the  thin  grass, 
while  he  gathered  the  bright  clusters  and  put  them 
into  Frances's  hand.  Then  looking  earnestly  into 
her  face,  said : 

"  Tell  me  thee  loves  me  as  I  love  thee." 

"Why  should  I  tell  thee  that?"  the  girl  re 
plied,  a  little  smile  passing  over  her  face,  her 
head  bending  lower,  however,  as  she  met  his 
gaze. 

"  Just  because  I  want  thee  for  my  wife,  and 
—oh,  Frances,  do  not  say  me  '  No.' " 


64  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 

"  I  will  not  say  '  No,'  James,"  Frances  said 

softly. 

And  James  knew  from  the  shy  look  she  gave 
him  that  the  desire  of  his  heart  was  won,  though 
she  was  in  a  very  different  mood  from  the  excited 
one  of  the  night  before.  Now  she  instinctively 
held  him  at  a  distance. 

Jeremiah  Allen  was  writing  at  his  straight 
legged  little  table  as  Frances  ran  in,  and  gave  his 
daughter  a  rather  absent  though  an  affectionate 
greeting. 

"  Is  James  there  ?  "  he  asked. 

"He  has  just  taken  Nixie  to  the  stable, 
father,"  replied  his  daughter,  standing  beside  him. 

"  Will  thee  run  out  and  ask  him  if  he  objects 
to  putting  Doctor  into  the  gig  ?  I  must  ride  over 
to  Isaac  Coxe's  and  my  ankle  still  troubles  me  a, 
little." 

Frances  hesitated  and  yet  there  was  no  reason 
to  be  assigned  why  she  should  not  do  her  father's 
bidding.  Being  under  her  own  roof  too,  gave  her 
more  confidence ;  and  after  a  moment's  pause,  she 
gathered  her  skirt  over  her  arm  and  went  towards 
the  stable. 

Some    pictures  impress  themselves  on  our 


AN  ANGRY  VISITOR. 


minds  with  a  vividness  that  is  never  effaced,  and 
often  these  impressions  are  among  the  most  famil 
iar  and  commonplace  surroundings.  It  was  so 
with  Frances  at  this  moment.  The  regularly  laid 
wood-pile  near  which  she  passed,  the  chips  be 
neath  her  feet  sending  out  a  fresh  woody  fragrance 
under  the  sun's  warm  rays,  the  low  brown  barn 
with  the  chickens  loitering  about  the  door  enjoy 
ing  the  perfect  sunshine  And  the  blue  sky  above 
them,  James  Haydock's  figure,  as  he  stood  under 
the  shadow  of  the  sweet  gum  tree  tightening  the 
girth  of  his  saddle,  all  impressed  the  girl  uncon 
sciously,  yet  in  a  way  never  to  be  forgotten.  The 
gravity  of  his  face  vanished  as  he  looked  up, 
roused  by  her  step,  and  coming  forward  impetu 
ously,  he  took  her  in  an  embrace  that  might  dissi 
pate  all  her  reserve  from  that  time  forth. 

"  James,  Father  wants  thee  to — I  can't  speak 
if  thee  holds  me  so  tightly,"  said  the  girl,  gently 
endeavoring  to  free  herself. 

"  Very  well,  thee  can  speak  now  and  forever 
just  here,  for  aught  I  care,"  loosing  his  hold  of 
her  just  a  little  as  she  gave  her  father's  message. 
James  acted  upon  it  in  due  time  and  after  care 
fully  helping  Friend  Allen  into  the  gig,  took  his 

(5) 


66  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

own  way  homeward,  as  Frances  had  disappeared 
within  her  own  room  and  was  evidently  not  to  be 
seen  any  more  just  then. 

David  and  Rachel  Haydock  returned  home 
to  dinner  that  same  day,  and  toward  evening,  as 
the  mother  was  teaching  little  Anna  some  of  the 
necessary  household  work  in  the  kitchen,  David 
Haydock  sat  looking  over  some  letters  in  a  small 
alcove  opening  out  of  the  living  room.  His  son 
James  was  copying  accounts  at  a  dark,  old-fash 
ioned  desk  beside  his  father,  when  a  knock  was 
heard  and  without  waiting  for  permission  to  enter, 
Mr.  Bolton,  the  slave-owner  of  whom  we  have 
spoken,  came  in  and  approached  David  Haydock. 

"  Good-day,  Mr.  Haydock,  may  I  speak  to 
you  a  few  minutes  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Thee  is  welcome,  neighbor  Bolton;  sit 
down,"  and  David  Haydock  handed  his  visitor  a 
seat,  resumed  his  own  in  the  carved  arm-chair, 
and  waited  for  his  visitor  to  speak.  James,  after 
a  slight  bow  to  Mr.  Bolton,  continued  his  occupa 
tion. 

<:  Mr.  Haydock,  I  do  not  know  how  far  you 
are  responsible,  but  I  have  lost  a  girl  of  mine 
whom  you  once  tried  to  buy,  and  our  surmise  is 


AN  ANGR  Y  VISITOR.  67 

that  she  has  gone  off  with  your  boy  Dan.  They 
tell  me  on  the  plantation  that  she  was  there  late 
yesterday  afternoon,  but  did  not  come  to  supper 
with  the  rest  of  the  hands,  and  this  morning  she 
is  nowhere  to  be  found.  Can  you  tell  me  any 
thing  about  her  ?  " 

There  was  a  certain  insolence  in  the  man's 
manner  that  made  James'  blood  boil,  but  he 
made  no  sign,  neither  took  part  in  the  conversa 
tion.  "  I  am  sorry  for  thy  loss,  neighbor  Bolton," 
replied  David  Haydock,  "  but  can  give  thee  no 
light  on  the  subject,  I  was  away  all  day  yesterday 
and  last  night;  only  returning  this  noon." 

"  Exactly,"  said  Bolton,  "  You,  and  your  hon 
est  Friends,  who  think  it  no  harm  to  steal  a 
neighbor's  property,  went  away  yesterday  morning 
and  most  probably  made  arrangements  to  take 
my  girl  Rosa  to  meet  her  rascal  of  a  husband,  as 
he  calls  himself,  at  some  point  northward.  You 
know  all  about  it  yourself,  but  will  not  help  a 
man  to  recover  his  own,"  Bolton  spoke  angrily. 

"Thee  knows  I  never  approve  of  helping 
other  peoples'  slaves  to  run  away,"  responded 
David  Haydock  calmly.  "  We  are  not  responsible 
for  the  wrong-doing  of  others  and  therefore  can- 


68  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 

not  interfere,  except  in  so  far  as  we  try  to  set  be 
fore  them  the  way  of  truth.  I  have  often  labored 
with  thee  about  the  sin  of  holding  slaves,  but 
having  failed  to  persuade  thee,  can  but  let  it  rest. 
Nevertheless,  I  would  not  assist  thy  so-called 
property  to  run  away,  although  I  sympathize  fully 
with  the  longing  for  liberty  that  prompts  such  an 
act." 

Bolton  scowled. 

"  You  really  tell  me  that  you  have  not  gotten 
the  girl  off?  "  he  queried  doubtfully. 

"I  have  not,  and  moreover  I  have  heard 
nothing  from  John  Pemberton  or  his  friend  that 
would  induce  me  to  believe  that  they  knew  aught 
about  the  matter;  thee  can  get  no  information 
here,"  answered  David  Haydock.  James'  lip 
curled  with  irrepressible  amusement,  as  he  bent 
his  head  lower  over  his  writing. 

"  I  venture  to  say  that  young  sprig  beside  you 
knows  all  about  it  then."  Bolton  began  again, 
looking  at  James. 

"  James  ?  "  said  David  Haydock  in  surprise, 
turning  to  look  at  his  son  and  dropping  the  paper- 
cutter  he  had  been  toying  with.  "  I  do  not  think 
he  would  be  likely  to  know  anything  about  it." 


AN  ANGR  Y  VISITOR.  69 

He  picked  up  the  paper-cutter  again,  crossed  his 
neatly  clothed  legs  and  sat  quietly  regarding  his 
visitor.  James  still  wrote  on,  though  the  last  ray 
of  sunshine  had  crept  away  from  under  the  vine- 
clad  porch  and  the  large  room  was  beginning  to 
darken.  Bolton  felt  baffled.  Suddenly  he  ex 
claimed  : 

"You  are  ruining  the  country  with  your 
cursed  anti-slavery  notions.  A  man  will  not  be 
able  to  say  his  soul  is  his  own  before  long,  much 
less  his  property,  and  here  you  sit  in  your  con 
founded  self-righteousness  and  call  wrong  right, 
and  openly  abet  stealing  another  man's  goods. 
You're  no  less  than  a  set  of  thieves." 

"  Friend  Bolton,  thee  has  said  all  that  is  neces 
sary  ;  perhaps  we  had  better  close  this  interview 
for  the  present,"  quietly  remarked  David  Hay- 
dock,  slowly  rising  from  his  chair  till  his  large 
figure  stood  erect  and  dignified  before  the  angry 
man  James  had  risen  at  the  same  moment  and 
stood  close  beside  his  father,  as  tall,  and,  if  not  as 
broad,  more  lithe  and  active,  with  a  blaze  of  in 
dignation  in  his  dark  blue  eyes. 

"  Mr.  Bolton,  I  shall  take  pleasure  in  showing 
you  the  way  out;  it  is  growing  dark  and  you  may 


70  THE  HA  YDOCKV    TESTIMONY. 

not  find  it  easily,"  and  the  young  man  stepped 
forward  with  an  air  of  command  so  irresistible 
that  the  disappointed  and  enraged  slave-owner 
could  do  naught  but  obey. 

After  watching  Mr.  Bolton's  retreating  figure 
a  moment,  James  returned  to  find  his  father  with 
hands  clasped  behind  him,  thoughtfully  pacing 
the  floor,  while  Charlie  put  a  match  to  the  fire 
ready  laid  in  the  ample  fireplace.  The  flames 
leaped  and  danced,  lighting  up  James'  face  as  he 
leaned  against  the  mantle-post.  His  father  paused 
opposite  him. 

"  James,  thee  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  last 
week  ?  " 

"  I  was,  father." 

"Then  thee  is  responsible  for  thy  own  ac 
tions." 

"  I  ought  to  be  so,  father." 

"  That  is  probably  the  case,  and  I  shall  ask 
thee  no  questions." 

"  I  appreciate  thy  confidence  and  will  honor 
the  trust,"  his  son  replied. 

Supper  was  just  then  brought  in  and  neither 
at  this  time,  nor  afterward,  was  any  allusion  made 
to  the  escape  of  Rosa  with  Dan,  except  once,  a 


AN  ANGR  Y  VISITOR.  71 

few  weeks  afterward,  when  James  handed  to  his 
father  a  letter  from  Philadelphia,  saying  that  the 
pair  had  passed  safely  through  to  Canada. 


72  THE  HA  Y DOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A   8UDDEX   CALL. 

It  must  be  remembered  in  reading  this  account 
of  the  escape  of  Dan  and  Rosa  that  such  a  thing 
was  far  more  easily  accomplished  then  than  in 
later  years.  Run-away  slaves  were  then  com 
paratively  few,  and  as  a  consequence,  less  care 
was  taken  to  prevent  their  flight.  Telegraphic 
communication  did  not  exist  and  traveling  facili 
ties  were  poor,  so  that  to  overtake  and  bring  back 
run-aways  was  a  difficult  matter.  Once  a  fugi 
tive  was  fairly  off,  the  owner  might  give  up  all 
hope  of  seeing  him  again.  This  Mr.  Bolton 
knew,  and  the  knowledge  increased  his  anger 
as  he  went  home,  baffled  in  his  attempts  to 
gain  any  information  from  David  Haydock,  to 
whom  he  had  gone,  feeling  him  to  be  one  upon 
whom  he  could  legitimately  vent  his  rage.  The 
calmness  with  which  he  had  been  met,  only 
served  to  provoke  him  the  more.  He  struck 
angrily  with  his  heavy,  loaded  cane  at  the  bushes 


A  SUDDEN'  CALL.  73 

bordering  the  road  as  he  went  home  through  the 
plantation.  A  shrill  derisive  laugh,  apparently 
provoked  by  his  actions,  fell  on  his  ear ;  it  issued 
from  a  thicket  close  beside  him,  and  he  recognized 
a  half-witted  negro  boy  swinging  on  the  wild 
grape  vines. 

"  Mars'  Bolton  mad  at  somefing  ?  Has  Rosa 
run  away  an'  can't  be  foun'  no  how?"  He  broke 
out  mockingly  into  a  line  of  a  hymn ;  "  She's 
gone,  she's  gone  to  Canaan's  happy  shore,"  and  he 
swung  on  his  grape  vine  toward  Mr.  Bolton,  stoop 
ing  and  looking  full  into  his  face.  The  cane  was 
lifted  and  a  heavy  blow  aimed,  not  at  the  boy, 
but  at  the  stem  he  was  on,  for  Bolton  did  not 
really  mean  to  injure  him,  but  as  the  negro  bent 
down,  the  stroke  fell  on  the  back  of  his  head  and 
laid  him  senseless  at  the  white  man's  feet.  Shocked 
and  horrified,  Bolton  stooped  to  lift  the  boy  up, 
but  the  form  hung  on  his  hands  like  the  dead 
weight  it  was,  and  as  he  turned  the  limp  head  to 
the  still  bright  western  sky,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen 
that  the  half-witted  spirit  had  fled  to  a  sphere 
where  a  new  intelligence  was  granted  it.  The 
loaded  cane  had  struck  the  base  of  the  brain,  and 
its  work  had  been  swift  and  painless. 


74  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

11  What  shall  I  do  with  him  now  ?  "  said  Bol- 
ton.  "  I  did  not  mean  to  kill  him.  I'll  let  people 
suppose  he  fell  off  and  broke  his  neck.  His  old 
mother  will  be  better  off  without  him  anyway ;  I 
reckon  Bill  was  nothing  but  a  care  to  her  and 
she'll  be  glad  he's  gone."  So  saying,  Bolton  pulled 
the  unresisting  form  under  his  grape-vine  swing 
and  left  him  in  the  dew  and  dim  starlight,  while 
the  old  mother  sat  in  her  cabin  waiting  for  the  re 
turn  of  the  child  who  supplied  the  sole  interest 
of  her  lonely  life,  and  whom  she  loved,  though  he 
was  so  wayward  and  capricious.  Old  Milly  had 
been  free  for  several  years,  and  had  chosen  to  stay 
near  her  old  home  when  her  former  master  had 
moved  away ;  she,  with  her  boy  Bill,  living  in  a 
tumble-down  cabin  on  a  corner  of  David  Hay- 
dock's  farm.  The  Haydocks  saw  that  she  did  not 
suffer  for  necessaries  and  Bill  would  occasionally 
do  a  half  day's  work,  a  thing  he  could  easily  ac 
complish  when  the  fancy  took  him,  for  he  was 
big  and  strong  as  these  "  innocents "  often  are. 
Beside  his  mother,  James  Haydock  was  the  only 
person  for  whom  Bill  showed  any  attachment,  and 
to  him,  this  half-witted  boy  frequently  brought 
squirrels  and  'possums  that  he  had  trapped.  No 


A  SUDDEN  CALL.  75 

more  of  these  wild  gifts  would  the  motionless 
hands  ever  bring,  and  few  indeed  were  the  people 
who  would  mourn  Bill's  departure  from  his  little 
world. 

After  the  first  shock  at  the  result  of  his  reck 
less  blow,  the  old  feeling  of  contempt  for  the 
"  nigger  "  returned  to  Bolton's  mind.  One  less  or 
more  was  very  little  consequence  anyhow ;  some 
people  even  doubted  that  they  had  souls,  and  cer 
tainly  he  regarded  them  as  little  above  the  brutes, 
this  one  especially ;  moreover,  Bill  had  been  an 
object  of  interest  to  the  Haydocks  and  shared  in 
the  dislike  with  which  Bolton  regarded  the  whole 
family. 

"  They  will  make  search  and  find  him  in  the 
morning ;  I  will  not  disturb  myself  more  about 
it.  Grinning  idiot  that  he  was,  to  provoke  me 
so ! "  and  the  slave-owner  moodily  walked  on 
homeward.  He  was  not  unkind  to  his  own 
negroes ;  indeed  they  were  fairly  happy  under  his 
rule ;  but  to  have  complete  control  of  a  number 
of  one's  fellow-beings  and  to  exert  over  them  an 
authority  from  wrhich  there  is  no  appeal,  curiously 
enough,  instead  of  evoking  the  highest  and  best 
qualities  within  us,  usually  bring  out  the  brute. 


76  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

About  the  middle  of  the  following  afternoon, 
James  Haydock,  while  helping  uncle  Billy  repair 
the  hinges  on  the  barn  door,  saw  old  Milly  com 
ing  toward  them  across  the  potato  field. 

"  Old  Milly  is  getting  more  feeble  every  day ; 
don't  you  think  so,  uncle  Billy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Mars'  James,  dat  she  is ;  I  reckon  her 
Bill  wear  her  out ;  he  is  a  mighty  onexpected 
kind  of  a  critter  an'  nothin'  is  as  wearin'  as  dat 
sort  of  sudd'nt  s'prise  he  gibs  her  all  de  time." 

"  Good-evening,  aunt  Milly,"  called  James  as 
she  neared  them,  walking  slowly,  "  how  is  Bill  ? 
All  right?" 

"  Dats  jest  it,  Mars'  James,  Bill's  been  called 
to  glory  in  de  twinklin'  of  an  eye,  an'  it  has  kinder 
upsot  me." 

"What!  Milly,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that 
Bill's  dead  ?  "  said  James  stopping  his  work  and 
looking  at  her,  "  here,  sit  down  on  this  log ;  you 
look  tired  out,"  seeing  how  swollen  were  the  poor 
old  eyes  and  how  grief-stricken  was  the  wrinkled 
face. 

"  Deed,  Mars'  James,  it  is  tryin'  to  de  flesh, 
dese  onexpected  movements  of  Bill's,  an'  dis  yere 
one's  de  wust  I  ever  'sperienced.  Dey  foun'  him 


A  SUDDEN  CALL.  77 

dis  mornin'  a  layin'  on  Mars'  Bolton's  back  road 
under  de  grape  vine  twists  he's  allars  so  fond  of 
swingin'  on.  Pears  as  if  de  motion  soothed  him, 
an'  dey  say  he  mus'  a  swung  too  hard  an'  jes'  fell 
off  an'  broke  his  neck.  Oh,  why,  Bill,  did  yere  go 
an'  leab  yere  old  mammy  alone  in  de  cabin  to 
•wait  till  de  golden  chariot  calls  fo'  her  at  de  do'," 
and  the  poor  old  creature  broke  into  such  unre 
strained  sobbing  that  James  was  glad  to  see  the 
comfortable  figure  of  his  mother's  cook  coming 
towards  them.  Aunt  Jane  took  the  weeping 
woman  into  the  kitchen,  where  soon  Rachel  Hay- 
dock  was  soothing  her  with  sweet  and  comforting 
words,  and  before  long  James  saw  her  winding 
her  way  back  to  her  cabin  with  slow  uncertain 
steps,  bending  under  her  burden  of  woe,  so  great 
to  her,  though  almost  less  than  nothing  to  most  of 
those  about  her. 

"  James,  old  Milly  wants  to  have  the  funeral 
from  our  meeting  house,"  said  his  father,  when  his 
son  came  in  to  supper,  "  and  if  thee  is  willing  to 
go  and  see  that  everything  is  done  carefully,  it 
can  be  so.  It  seems  to  be  a  comfort  to  these  peo 
ple  to  have  as  much  ceremony  at  such  times  as 
possible.  Can  thee  go  to-night  ?  " 


78  THE  HA  YDOCK&    TESTIMONY. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  will  go,  to  be  sure ;  it  is  about  the 
last  thing  I  can  do  for  poor  Bill.  He  was  really 
fond  of  us ;  it  was  only  yesterday  he  brought  me 
a  squirrel  he  had  trapped." 

"  Very  well ;  here  is  the  key ;  do  not  let  them 
keep  it  up  late." 

"I  will  try  to  hold  them  within  bounds, 
though  it  is  not  very  easy.  I  think  I  will  take 
Frances,  if  she  will  go  on  Nero,"  said  James.  He 
had  told  his  parents  of  his  new  relations  with  the 
maiden,  and  their  satisfaction  was  only  less  in 
degree  than  his  own,  for  they  had  ever  felt  a  warm 
love  for  her,  and  this  engagement  was  very  pleas 
ant  to  them. 

The  clear  yellow  of  an  October  sunset  was 
still  lingering  in  the  west  when  James  rode  up  to 
the  steps  of  Friend  Allen's  porch  and  fastened  his 
horse  to  the  post  near  by.  Frances  was  singing 
to  herself  as  she  moved  about  the  living  room,  and 
looking  up  saw  James  enter,  his  figure  obscuring 
the  fast  fading  light. 

"Is  thee  alone,  Frances?"  was  the  youth's 
question  as  he  came  forward  to  greet  her. 

"  Enough  so  to  make  thee  a  welcome  guest," 
replied  the  girl,  a  little  mischievously,  though  the 
soft  color  deepened  on  her  cheek. 


A  SUDDEN  CALL.  79 

"  Then  thee  only  makes  me  welcome  when 
thee  has  no  one  else  to  talk  to  ?  " 

"  I  doubt  if  ever  so  much  company  would  in 
crease  my  wish  to  see  thee." 

"  James,  thee  is  always  welcome/'  said  Jere 
miah  Allen,  issuing  from  the  door  of  his  little 
room  and  shaking  hands  with  his  future  son-in- 
law,  "  will  thee  not  sit  down  ?  " 

"  I  came  to  see  if  Frances  would  go  out  with 
me  to-night,"  James  said,  turning  to  seek  her  face 
in  the  darkening  twilight,  and  then  he  told  them 
of  old  Milly's  sorrow  and  of  the  funeral  to  be  held 
at  the  meeting  house. 

"  I  would  like  to  go  very  much,"  said  Fran 
ces.  "  Father,  can  thee  saddle  the  pony  for  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  the  pillion  on  Nero,  Frances ;  he  is 
quite  used  to  going  double,  if  thee  is  willing  to  try 
him?" 

Frances  hesitated  and  then  laughed. 

"  I  suppose  thee  thinks  I  might  as  well  begin 
to  grow  accustomed  to  going  double  too  ?  Per 
haps  thee  is  right ;  I  will  be  ready  in  a  minute." 
In  spite  of  the  girl's  propensity  to  tease,  there  was 
a  sweet  frankness  about  her  that  showed  her  heart 
was  in  the  right  place  and  gave  an  earnest  that 


80  THE  HAYDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

she  would  never  carry  her  playfulness  far  enough 
to  hurt  the  feelings  of  any  one.  In  a  few  mo 
ments  Nero  paced  gently  down  the  road,  stepping 
carefully  under  the  newly  assumed  burden,  to 
which  he  was  destined  in  future  to  become  well 
accustomed. 

It  was  quite  dark  as  they  neared  the  meeting 
house,  and  from  many  directions  the  eye  could  see 
the  twinkling  of  torches  as  the  negroes  gathered 
from  those  plantations  within  easy  distance.  The 
news  of  any  event  among  these  bond-people  spread 
with  curious  quickness ;  both  Rosa's  escape  and 
Bill's  death  were  well  known  at  the  adjacent 
farms,  and  the  slaves  had  sent  a  request  to  their 
masters  to  allow  them  to  attend  the  funeral  of  the 
half-witted  boy  whom  they  all  had  known.  These 
requests  were  granted,  as  the  slave-holders  were 
not  averse  to  their  people  having  a  little  variety 
in  a  harmless  fashion.  Mr.  Bolton  especially  felt 
it  in  this  case  a  sort  of  compensation  he  owed  old 
Milly,  and  willingly  permitted  his  slaves  to  join 
those  who  were  to  carry  Bill  to  his  last  rest 
ing  place.  No  one  knew  his  share  in  the  catas 
trophe  ;  no  questions  had  been  asked ;  and  he 
did  not  feel  it  incumbent  on  him  to  say  anything. 


A  SUDDEV  CALL.  81 

When  James  and  Frances  entered  the  meet 
ing-house  yard  it  was  full  of  moving  forms  whose 
black  faces  showed  but  dimly  under  the  glare  and 
smoke  of  the  light-wood  torches. 

James  fastened  Nero  in  a  shed  and  passed 
through  the  crowd.  It  opened  to  let  himself  and 
Frances  approach  the  door,  before  which  stood  six 
men  bearing  a  rude  coffin.  As  soon  as  the  house 
was  open,  James  and  his  companion  stepped  in 
side  and  stood,  while  the  crowd  pressed  by,  follow 
ing  the  coffin-bearers  to  the  head  of  the  middle 
aisle ;  there  they  deposited  their  burden  in  front 
of  the  gallery  facing  the  rest  of  the  benches.  The 
torches  had  been  stacked,  still  burning,  in  many 
pyramids  about  the  yard  ;  the  only  lights  inside 
of  -the  meeting  house  were  four  candles,  two  at  the 
head  and  two  at  the  foot  of  the  now  open  coffin. 
In  and  out  of  the  dim  circle  of  light  thus  formed 
the  dusky  figures  passed  silently,  taking  their  last 
look  at  the  features  well  remembered  by  them  as 
wearing  only  mocking  and  derisive  grimaces,  now 
so  quiet  and  almost  sweet  in  their  relaxed  rigid 
ity.  Noiselessly  the  dark  forms  passed  around 
and  onward  until  all  were  satisfied.  They  then 
took  their  seats  in  the  body  of  the  meeting  house, 


82  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

the  only  persons  remaining  near  the  coffin  being 
the  bent  figure  of  old  Milly  and  the  negro  min 
ister;  above  them  were  the  high  unoccupied 
benches,  their  front  railings  gleaming  indistinctly 
in  polished  lines,  while  the  seats  lay  in  such  heavy 
shadow  as  to  be  scarcely  visible.  Frances  im 
agined  she  could  see  fantastic  shadows  peopling 
the  dark  galleries,  and  the  fancy  remained  with 
her  as  the  gaunt  preacher  arose  and  began  his  ad 
dress,  occasionally  turning  to  the  vacant  seats 
above  him  as  if  he  too  could  see  visible  faces  in 
the  dim  darkness. 

The  pungent  smoke  of  the  torches  was  blown 
by  the  veering  night  wind  through  the  door  by 
which  the  girl  and  her  companion  were  sitting. 
Used  as  she  was  to  seeing  negroes  about  her,  the 
strangeness  of  their  own  being  the  only  white  faces 
in  the  dimly  lighted  building,  brought  a  curious 
feeling  with  it.  The  voice  of  the  preacher  rose 
and  fell  in  measured  cadence  as  he  dilated  on  the 
sudden  passage  of  the  chariot  that  took  Bill  away 
to  the  promised  land,  leaving  the  sorrowing 
mother  alone.  Long  and  eloquently  did  he  speak 
with  outstretched  arms,  and  when  exhausted  by  his 
efforts  he  paused,  a  big  negro  in  front  of  Frances 


A  SUDDEN  CALL.  83 

began  a  hymn  in  which  one  after  another  joined, 
accompanying  the  swelling  chorus  with  a  muffled 
stamping  of  feet  and  slow  swaying  of  the  body. 
Louder  and  more  impassioned  grew  the  singing 
until  it  seemed  as  if  the  roof  would  be  riven  by 
the  volume  of  mournful  sound;  suddenly  it 
ceased  and  a  dull  impassiveness  settled  down 
again  on  the  dark  faces.  The  preacher  arose  once 
more,  and  in  a  few  brief  sentences,  whose  calm 
ness  contrasted  oddly  with  his  former  excitement, 
signified  that  the  time  had  come  to  proceed  to  the 
grave. 

The  service  was  over.  The  men  who  had 
carried  the  coffin  stepped  forward  to  close  the  lid 
and  paused  a  moment  for  old  Milly,  who  had  bent 
her  head  on  the  narrow  box,  to  rise  and  allow 
them  to  go  on  with  their  duty.  She  did  not  stir, 
and  the  preacher  gently  touched  her  arm ;  still 
she  did  not  move  and  he  took  hold  of  her  hand. 
The  next  moment  he  looked  up  with  a  startled  air. 

"  Bless  the  Lord !  he's  dun  taken  Milly  to 
glory,  right  yere  an'  now !  " 

An  indefinable  movement  through  the  house 
told  James  that  a  rush  would  be  made  to  see  the 
old  woman,  if  the  excitement  caused  by  this  sud- 


84  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY. 

den  event  was  not  controlled,  and  before  the  con 
gregation  could  rise  he  had  passed  quickly  up  the 
aisle  to  the  coffin. 

"  Start  a  hymn,  brother  Zeb,  and  tell  them  to 
stay  in  their  places,"  he  said  to  the  preacher,  who 
with  the  prompt  appreciation  of  his  race,  imme 
diately  complied,  and  the  rising  feeling  was  kept  in 
check.  James  stood  a  moment  in  doubt  as  to 
what  to  do  next. 

"Can  we  bury  them  together?"  he  asked, 
speaking  low  to  a  strong  negro  standing  by  him. 

"  I  tink  we  can,  Mars'  Haydock,"  the  man  re 
plied,  "  old  Milly  is  putty  small,  an'  dis  box  is  on- 
common  big ;  I  dunno  who  made  it,  but  as  'tings 
hab  'curred,  it  is  mighty  lucky." 

"  It  seems  to  me  the  best  thing  to  do,"  said 
James.  "  Tell  your  friends  here  to  lift  up  the  old 
creature  gently,"  but  he  had  no  need  to  warn  them ; 
tenderly  they  laid  the  tired  old  head  beside  that  of 
her  son,  and  Frances  having  followed  James, 
lightly  spread  her  white  handkerchief  over  both 
the  faces  resting  so  close  together.  The  negroes 
showed  their  approval  of  this  arrangement  by  be 
ginning  a  wild  resurrection  hymn  which  they  sang 
as  the  coffin  was  closed  and  taken  out.  All  the  con 
gregation  followed,  still  singing.  The  torches  were 


A  SUDDEN  CALL.  85 

picked  up  and  carried  in  the  procession  to  the 
grave  in  a  corner  of  the  meeting-house  yard,  the 
cadence  of  the  hymn  still  rising  and  falling  as  the 
people  placed  themselves  as  closely  as  possible 
around  the  new  made  grave. 

In  the  silence  that  then  fell  over  the  gather 
ing,  the  preacher  turned  to  James  Haydock. 

"  Won't  you  tell  us  a  few  words,  Mars'  James  ? 
Do  now."  Taken  by  surprise,  James  hesitated  a 
moment,  but  then  stepped  forward  and  with  un 
covered  head  offered  an  earnest  thanksgiving  that 
the  mother  and  son  were  together  again,  and  a 
prayer  that  however  sudden  might  be  the  call  to 
another  country,  it  might  find  them  ready.  The 
grave  filled,  the  company  silently  dispersed  in  small 
groups,  and  taking  their  different  ways  homeward, 
•extinguished  their  torches  in  the  sand  as  they 
reached  their  various  cabins. 

James  locked  the  meeting  house,  and  putting 
Prances  on  her  pillion,  rode  home  through  a  dark 
ness  that  even  the  light  of  the  southern  stars 
illuminated  but  faintly.  The  wild  grapes  gave  out 
a  strong  perfume  in  the  damp  air,  and  a  few 
crickets  chirped  feebly  along  the  road-side  as  though 
they  knew  the  summer  was  over  and  the  chill  of 
the  late  autumn  would  soon  be  upon  them. 


86  THE  HAYDOCKSf   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1864. 

Slavery  had  been  gradually  eliminated  from 
the  Society  of  Friends.  In  1784,  several  different 
Quarterly  Meetings  having  reported  that  many 
still  held  slaves  notwithstanding  the  advice  and 
entreaties  of  their  friends,  the  Yearly  Meeting  di 
rected  that  such  offending  members  should  be  dis 
owned. 

Every  effort  was  made  to  induce  these  mem 
bers  to  see  the  sin  in  its  true  light,  and  a  resort 
to  the  final  measure  of  disownment  was  put  off  as 
long  as  possible,  so  that  it  was  not  till  1818  that 
the  Yearly  Meeting  was  able  to  make,  as  the  final 
result  of  their  long  wrestling  with  the  evil,  this 
brief  record,  "  None  held  as  slaves."  This  happy 
event  occured  a  few  months  after  the  beginning  of 
our  story,  and  the  following  summer  James  Hay- 
dock  married  the  maiden  of  his  choice.  We 
shall  resume  their  history  again  as  it  grew  eventful 
in  1864,  the  fourth  year  of  the  civil  war,  when 


1864.  87 

scarcity  of   men    and   means   threw   its   deepest 
shadow  over  the  South. 

This  summer  of  1864,  in  which  we  gather  up 
the  threads  of  our  story,  shows  many  a  change  in 
the  lives  of  James  Haydock  and  his  wife  Frances. 
The  early  home  of  the  maiden  where  she  was 
wooed  and  won  is  her's  no  longer,  for  Jeremiah 
Allen  has  long  since  been  laid  under  the  thickly 
falling  pine-needles  which  cushion  almost  to  con 
cealment  the  low  mounds  in  the  grave-yard  near 
the  meeting  house.  David  and  Rachel  Haydock 
also  sleep  their  last  sleep  in  this  ancient  burying- 
ground,  the  date  of  which  is  almost  identical  with 
that  of  the  settlement,  for,  as  Hawthorne  says,  in 
those  early  times,  provision  was  made  in  accord 
ance  with  the  needs  of  departed  spirits,  about  as 
soon  as  that  necessary  for  the  living  material  body. 
James  Haydock  during  his  married  life  had  visited 
and  trafficked  in  the  North,  and  indeed  had  settled 
several  children,  now  themselves  married,  in  that 
busy  and  agressive  part  of  our  country ;  and  then, 
following  the  inclination  of  both  himself  and  his 
wife,  had  returned  to  the  old  farm,  so  pleasant  to 
both  in  their  early  associations.  Their  only  un 
married  daughter  Molly,  a  bright  girl  of  twenty, 


88  THE  HA  YDOCKV   TESTIMONY^ 

and  John,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  so  much  younger  than 
the  rest  as  to  be  a  great  darling,  were  still  with 
them  to  cheer  their  old  age.  "  Old  age,"  however, 
could  hardly  be  applied  to  the  pair  standing  on  the 
porch  this  afternoon.  Frances  Haydock  leaned 
against  one  of  the  posts  that  was  almost  hidden  by 
scarlet  honeysuckle.  Her  wavy  red-brown  hair 
was  thinner  than  in  years  past,  but  not  much  more 
in  control  than  then,  and  the  delicate  rose  tint  still 
lingered  freshly  in  her  cheek/  To-day,  however, 
an  expression  of  growing  anxiety  was  on  her  face 
as  she  listened  to  the  news  that  her  husband  was 
telling.  He  stood  on  the  step  below  her,  lifting  his 
hat  rather  wearily  from  the  dark  hair  now  streaked 
with  gray,  and  wiping  his  brow  with  his  handker 
chief.  He  had  just  returned  from  a  walk  to  the 
mill.  All  their  horses,  but  one  very  old  one,  had 
been  seized  for  service  by  the  Southern  army  in 
their  various  raids  to  and  fro  over  the  country,  and 
the  cows,  with  the  exception  of  two  young  heifers, 
had  been  taken  for  food  by  the  same  rapacious 
hosts.  Their  neighbors  were  no  better  off  than 
they  in  this  respect,  for  their  homes  all  lay  in  that 
part  of  the  country  so  frequently  fought  over  by 
'  the  contending  armies,  and  the  inhabitants  were 


1864.  89 

called  on  for  supplies  by  both  friend  and  foe. 
True  to  their  belief  that  the  teachings  of  Christ 
were  for  peace  alone,  and  that  His  followers  could 
take  no  part  in  the  struggle  then  tearing  asunder 
this  fair  country,  no  truly  convinced  Friend,  either 
in  the  North  or  South,  had  joined  the  army ;  and 
we  may  say  here,  that  as  far  as  possible,  both  of 
the  military  governments  provided  exceptional 
acts  by  which  this  people  might  adhere  to  their 
principles.  In  the  summer  of  1862,  a  Conscription 
act  was  passed  in  the  Confederate  Congress  re 
quiring  every  man  between  eighteen  and  thirty- 
five  years  of  age  to  enter  the  army.  In  1863  these 
limits  were  extended  to  eighteen  and  forty-five, 
and  the  next  year  to  fifty  years,  but  at  this  date 
the  scarcity  of  men  in  the  Southern  army  was 
such  that  all  able  bodied  men  were  drafted,  no 
matter  what  might  be  their  age,  and  James  Hay- 
dock  felt  that  he  might  be  called  on  any  day  to 
render  service  to  the  government  which  he  could 
not  conscientiously  perform. 

"  They  told  me  at  the  mill  to-day,  Frances, 
that  the  soldiers  had  been  there,  and  because  the 
Miller  would  not  reveal  the  hiding  place  of  his 
three  sons,  they  hung  him  up  three  times  almost 


90  THE  HAYDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

to  the  point  of  strangulation.  Josiah  Barker,  who 
ownes  the  mill,  and  lives  close  by,  hearing  the 
screams  of  the  Miller's  wife,  came  out  and  they 
seized  him,  asking  him  the  same  questions  as  they 
had  asked  the  Miller." 

"  Oh,  what  did  he  do  ?"  asked  Frances. 

"  Stood  his  ground,  thank  God,"  replied  her 
husband.  "  In  fact  he  did  not  know  where  the 
boys  were,  and  simply  said  so,  but  when  the  sol 
diers  put  the  rope  round  his  neck  and  proceeded 
to  tighten  it  over  a  beam  in  the  barn,  he  did  not 
flinch  or  beg  for  mercy.  They  told  him  the 
Quakers  by  keeping  so  many  men  out  of  the 
army  were  causing  the  defeat  of  the  South,  said 
he  had  but  five  minutes  to  live,  and  if  he  had  any 
prayers  to  offer,  to  say  them  quickly." 

"  What  respect  had  they  for  prayers  ?"  queried 
Frances  Haydock,  slightly  smiling,  as  her  hus 
band  paused  and  set  down  on  the  step,  leaning 
back  among  the  shining  green  of  the  Lady 
Banksia  rose,  and  looking  up  at  her  with  glow 
ing  eyes. 

"  Some  traditionary  reverence,  doubtless ; 
Southerners  are  no  more  brutes  than  Northerners, 
but  they  are  driven  into  more  desperate  straits. 


1864.  91 

just  now,  and  war  ever  brings  unreasoning  cru 
elty  in  its  train,  especially  when  homes  are  de 
stroyed  and  families  broken  up.  The  North 
erners  know  little  of  this  in  reality.  Well,  to  go 
on,  Barker  said  he  was  innocent,  and  had  no  more 
to  say  than  '  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do.'  And  I  think  our  Father 
stopped  them,  for  they  removed  the  rope  from  his 
neck  and  flung  him  on  one  side,  telling  him  not 
to  look  up  or  he  would  be  shot,  and  in  truth  so 
stunned  was  he,  that  looking  up  was  impossible ; 
he  heard,  as  in  a  dream,  the  fellows  hanging  the 
poor  Miller  up  until  he  was  nearly  strangled ; 
then  they  left  the  place,  threatening  to  return, 
but  our  Master  sent  them  in  another  direction, 
for  they  did  not  come  back.  They  found  one '  of 
the  missing  conscripts,  whom  they  hung  till 
dead." 

"  Probably  they  think  discipline  must  be 
maintained,"  Frances  Haydock  remarked. 

"  Aye,  but  what  discipline  is  enforced  in  the 
army  is  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  license 
flooding  the  country  the  moment  that  strict  rule 
is  relaxed,"  said  her  husband,  "  how  much  better 
the  control  taught  by  the  Prince  of  Peace  !" 


92  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

Merry  voices  were  heard  at  this  moment, 
and  Molly  and  John  appeared  coming  up  the 
avenue.  The  pale  gold  of  the  sunset  still  shone 
through  the  far  arch  of  overhanging  live-oaks, 
and  outlined  the  children's  figures  with  clear  dis 
tinctness.  John  carried  in  his  hand  a  pail  half 
full  of  foaming  milk. 

"  Mother,"  he  said  as  they  neared  the  porch, 
"  Molly  and  I  have  found  such  a  beautiful  place 
for  the  heifers  to  sleep  in,  they  will  not  miss  the 
barn  at  all  now." 

"  They  would  hardly  miss  it  at  any  rate  this 
warm  weather,  my  boy  ?  "  said  his  father,  smiling 
at  the  two  as  they  sat  down  beside  him. 

"  No,  I  suppose  not,"  answered  John,  "  but 
thee  knows  that  thick  clump  of  alderbushes  in 
the  lower  meadow  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  James  Haydock. 

"Well,  there  is  an  open  space  right  in  the 
middle  of  it,  Molly  and  I  cut  off  a  few  branches, 
twisted  the  rest  in  and  out,  and  spread  a  lot  of 
dead  leaves  over  the  ground,  and  the  heifers  went 
right  in  and  lay  down  there.  Close  by  the  open 
ing  is  a  dead  tree  with  a  jessamine  growing  over 
it  and  hanging  down,  so  every  sign  of  an  entrance 


1864.  93 

is  hidden,  and  I  think  it  would  very  much  puz 
zle  the  soldiers  to  find  the  cows.  They  may  hunt 
the  barn  over  now,  we  will  keep  our  heifers." 

"  It  is  quite  a  distance  from  the  house,"  re 
marked  Molly,  "  and  we  must  milk  them  early  in 
morning  and  late  in  the  evening  or  some  one  will 
see  us." 

"  It  seems  the  only  way  to  do,"  said  Frances 
Haydock,  "  I  trust  no  worse  trouble  is  in  store  for 
us."  A  sigh  followed  these  words,  for  a  shadow 
of  future  evil  seemed  gathering  over  her.  Several 
friends  in  the  neighborhood  had  been  drafted 
into  the  army  quite  lately,  some  of  whom  had  no 
objection  to  paying  the  Exemption  tax,  and  thus 
avoid  engaging  in  bloodshed ;  but  two  of  them 
did  not  feel  free  to  avail  themselves  of  this  way 
of  escape  and  had  gone  with  the  soldiery,  though 
refusing  to  bear  arms.  This  refusal  either  to  pay 
what  the  Exemption  Act  demanded,  or  to  bear 
arms,  excited  much  wrath  among  the  soldiers 
with  whom  they  had  to  deal,  and  very  rough 
treatment  was  bestowed  upon  those  courageous 
followers  of  Him  whose  teachings  are  to  "  Love 
your  enemies,  and  pray  for  those  who  despitefully 
use  you."  No  loss  of  life  had,  however,  befallen 


94  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

those  who  steadfastly  adhered  to  Christ's  precepts, 
and  their  confidence  was  strengthened  by  such 
evidence  of  His  protecting  power. 

James  Haydock  did  not  believe  in  paying  the 
Exemption  tax,  and  his  wife  dreaded  the  possible 
attempt  to  force  him  to  either  give  up  his  princi 
ples  or  suffer  for  them. 

"  Come  Molly,  we  must  put  the  milk  away," 
said  her  mother.  The  girl  lingered  under  the 
caressing  hand  of  her  father  as  he  stroked  the  dark 
braids  of  hair  in  which  Molly  had  twisted  a  spray 
of  the  yellow  Southern  jessamine.  She  had  in 
herited  James  Haydock's  ebon  hair  and  brows, 
but  the  large  black  eyes  were  very  unlike  his  dark 
blue  ones,  and  had  a  steadfastness  in  their  depth 
derived  from  her  grandfather  rather  than  from 
her  father's  impetuous  nature ;  this  impetuosity, 
however,  was  now  steadied  by  strong  principle 
and  an  earnest  love  for  the  Lord,  his  Master. 

"  I  will  take  it  in,  mother,"  said  John,  spring 
ing  up  and  lifting  the  pail.  "  Molly  did  nearly 
all  the  milking  to-night."  This  child  was  like 
his  mother;  he  was  merry,  full  of  fun,  always 
talking  cheerfully,  always  fresh  and  sweet,  like 
the  little  brook  running  through  the  cellar  in 


1864.  do 

whose  cool  flow  the  milk  was  now  soon  deposited, 
the  creamy  liquid  filling  to  the  brim  two  shallow 
pans,  and  was  then  left  to  gather  an  added  rich 
ness  in  the  darkness  and  solitude  of  its  under 
ground  habitation.  Thus  it  is  with  some. human 
characters ;  shut  them  away  from  the  bustle  and 
light  of  the  outside  world,  and  all  that  is  best  in 
their  natures  will  be  brought  to  the  surface ;  while, 
with  others  of  this  curiously  mixed  creation  of 
our's,  all  possible  sunshine  and  free  air  is  needed 
to  develop  the  sweetness  and  bloom  so  delightful 
to  find  in  a  work-a-day  world. 

In  giving  an  account  of  the  experiences  of 
Friends  throughout  the  South  during  the  civil  war, 
our  story  almost  unavoidably  assumes  the  cast  of 
a  religious  controversy.  And  although  it  is  as  far  as 
possible  from  our  purpose  to  arouse  any  antagon 
ism  in  the  many  truly  earnest  Christians  who  hold 
different  views  from  those  maintained  \)y  the  Quak 
ers,  we  cannot  but  put  these  views,  and  the  stead 
fast  trust  with  which  they  were  carried  out,  in  the 
strongest  possible  light.  They  were  a  vital  matter 
with  this  people,  and  any  trivial  handling  of  the 
suoject  would  fail  to  give  a  true  impression  of  the 
feeling  existing  among  them.  We  rejoice  in  the 


96  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

clear  light  of  to-day,  after  twenty-five  years  have 
been  added  to  our  national  history,  that  many  in 
all  Christian  denominations  are  beginning  to  see 
the  wickedness  of  war,  and  to  take  their  stand  with 
the  sect  which  has  ever  borne  testimony  against 
it,  suffering  almost  unto  the  giving  up  of  life,  as 
many  years  before  that  time  the  Friends  had  also 
suffered  indignity  and  hardship  for  their  belief 
in  the  freedom  of  all  mankind. 

The  next  morning  a  Confederate  officer  rode 
up  to  the  Haydock's  dwelling,  and  with  a  cour 
teous  bow  handed  a  folded  paper  to  Frances  Hay- 
dock  who  came  forward  to  ask  what  his  errand 
might  be.  She  took  it  with  a  sinking  heart  and 
carried  it  to  her  husband.  He  opened  the  paper 
and  read  it  slowly,  while  his  wife  leaned  over  his 
shoulder  and  read  likewise.  It  was  an  order  to 
report  at  Richmond  for  military  service,  or  else  to 
pay  the  Exemption  tax,  before  the  next  three 
days  had  passed. 

James  Haydock  leaned  back  and  looked  up 
at  his  wife ;  her  face  was  white,  and  a  pleading 
look  was  in  her  soft  brown  eyes ;  she  stroked  the 
wavy  locks  on  his  forehead  with  the  same  caress 
ing  touch  as  of  yore. 


i864.  97 

"  James,  will  thee  not  pay  the  tax  and  stay 
with  us?"  she  asked. 

"  Would  thee  have  me  do  so  ?  "  he  said,  look 
ing  lovingly  at  her. 

"  Many  of  our  Friends  have  done  so,"  she 
responded. 

"  I  know,  but  what  is  thy  own  feeling  about 
it  ?  "  her  husband  persisted. 

"  Oh  James,  I  cannot  let  thee  go,"  Frances 
exclaimed,  coming  round  in  front  of  her  husband, 
who,  rising,  took  her  in  his  strong  arms  in  a  close 
embrace,  which,  while  telling  her  how  inexpress 
ibly  hard  it  would  be  to  leave  her,  in  some  man 
ner  conveyed  to  her  so  clear  an  impression  of  the 
strength  and  power  of  the  Master  they  both  served 
that  she  was  calmed  and  comforted. 

"  I  want  us  to  see  eye  to  eye  in  this  matter, 
Frances,  my  wife,"  James  Haydock  said. 

"  We  always  have,  James,"  she  replied,  "  and 
I  will  not  fail  thee  now.  But,  oh,  when  will  this 
horrible  struggle  be  over  and  our  country  at  peace 
once  more  ?" 

"  In  the  Lord's  own  time,  Frances.  He  never 
forsakes  those  who  trust  in  Him,  not  one  of  our 

Friends  have  lost  their  lives." 

(7) 


98  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  No,  but  they  have  suffered.  Oh,  James,  it 
is  terrible.  In  three  short  days  to  have  thee  go  to 
we  know  not  where." 

" '  He  is  able  to  save,  even  unto  the  utter 
most.'  " 

Horses'  hoofs  on  the  sandy  road  outside  at 
this  moment  attracted  James  Hay  dock's  attention. 

"  Frances,  it  is  neighbor  Gordon  and  his  son 
Rosco." 

"  I  cannot  see  them  just  now,  James." 

"  I  will  take  care  of  them  then  and  excuse 
thee  for  the  present,"  said  James  Haydock  going 
forward  to  welcome  his  guests  with  his  usual  quiet 
grace  and  dignity,  while  Frances  entered  her  own 
room  and  shut  herself  into  the  presence  of  the 
Comforter  to  whom  she  was  used  to  carry  all  her 
griefs  and  perplexities. 

Mr.  Gordon,  to  whom  we  are  now  introduced, 
had  moved  with  his  family  into  Jeremiah  Allen's 
old  house  some  years  before,  and  had  formed  a 
very  warm  friendship  with  the  Haydocks.  Rosco, 
their  only  son,  had  been  educated  at  the  North, 
but  when  the  war  broke  out  he  had  been  forced 
to  return  from  college  just  before  he  graduated. 
He  was  now  twenty -two  years  old,  and  during 


1864.  99 

these  two  years  at  home  he  had  formed  a  warm 
friendship  with  Molly  Haydock,  who,  on  her  part 
much  enjoyed  the  cultivated  companionship  of 
young  Gordon.  Carefully  guided  in  her  studies 
by  her  father,  Molly  had  learned  a  good  deal  that 
is  not  usually  included  in  a  girl's  education, 
although  she  had  missed  some  of  the  lighter  ac 
complishments. 

Mr.  Gordon  had  served  a  year  in  the  Southern 
army,  had  been  wounded,  and  was  now  unfit  for 
further  service.  For  some  unknown  reason  Rosco 
was  not  as  yet  drafted,  and  his  frequent  associa 
tion  with  James  Haydock  had  so  far  convinced 
him  of  the  evil  of  war,  that  he  had  never  felt 
willing  to  volunteer  his  services  to  the  army. 
With  perhaps  a  keener  observation  than  his  father, 
Rosco  Gordon  perceived  the  shade  that  had  fallen 
over  the  usually  serene  face  of  his  host. 

"You  are  in  trouble,  Mr.  Haydock?"  he 
asked  respectfully.  "  Is  any  one  ill  ?  " 

"No  one,  Rosco,"  James  Haydock  replied, 
"  but  trial  has  come  to  us  in  common  with  our 
neighbors  and  in  three  days  I  must  go  to  Rich 
mond." 

"  I  am  awfully  sorry  to  hear  this,  Mr.  Hay- 


100  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

dock,"  said  the  older  Gordon.  "  Why  don't  you 
pay  the  Exemption  tax  and  stay  at  home  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  feel  easy  to  do  that,"  replied  James 
Haydock,  "  although  many  of  our  Friends  have, 
it  seems  to  me  like  assisting  in  a  strife  that  is  al 
together  opposed  to  our  Lord's  teachings  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  see  why  you  have  to  look  at  it  in 
that  way.  Why  the  money  goes  for  provision,  for 
blankets,  for  tobacco,  for  quantities  of  things  that 
don't  hurt  anybody,  but  do  them  good.  Come 
here,  Miss  Molly,  good-morning  to  you,"  as  the 
£irl  entered  the  room,  "  your  good  father  thinks 
he  must  leave  you,  and  I  want  you  to  help  me 
persuade  him  it  is  all  nonsense." 

"  You  will  not  do  that,  I  think,"  said  Molly r 
gravely.  She  usually  dropped  the  Friend's  lan 
guage  of  "  thee  "  and  "  thou  "  when  talking  with 
members  of  other  denominations. 

"  You  don't  want  him  to  go,  do  you,  Miss 
Molly  ?  "  pursued  Mr.  Gordon. 

"  I  would  give  all  I  have  in  the  world  to  pre 
vent  it!  What  shall  we  do  without  him?"  the 
girl  exclaimed  vehemently,  raising  her  eyes  to 
meet  those  of  Rosco  Gordon's  fixed  on  her  with 
earnest  sympathy ;  the  bright  sunshine  lying  on 


1864.  101 

the  polished  floor  seemed  to  throw  upward  a  gleam 
that  kindled  a  glowing  spark  in  the  light  hazel 
eye  of  the  young  man. 

"  Can  we  do  nothing  to  keep  Mr.  Haydock  at 
home  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  He  shall  not  go,"  asseverated  Molly. 

"The  soldiers  will  take  me  I  fear,  Molly, 
whether  I  wish  to  go  or  not,"  said  her  father,  ten 
derly  regarding  her. 

"  Oh,  and  what  will  they  do  to  thee  ?  "  she 
exclaimed  in  distress,  rising  and  walking  to  the 
window.  Rosco  followed,  but  she  could  neither 
talk  nor  listen  to  his  attempts  at  consolation,  and 
after  Mr.  Gordon  had  urged  James  Haydock  once 
more,  to  avail  himself  of  the  loop-hole  offered  by 
the  Exemption  Act,  the  visitors  mounted  their 
horses  and  rode  away.  Just  before  leaving,  old 
Mr.  Gordon  whispered  to  Molly : 

"We  will  pay  the  tax  for  your  father,  my 
dear,  and  keep  him  here  in  spite  of  himself." 

"Thank  you;  he  would  not  allow  it.  You 
are  very  kind,  but  it  is  no  use,"  Molly  said  sadly. 

Rosco  looked  back  as  long  as  he  dared,  only 
to  see  the  girl's  figure  leaning  against  the  pillar  of 
the  porch,  her  hand  over  her  eyes. 


102  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

GOOD   BYE. 

Sad  and  dreary  were  the  days  that  followed. 
Frances  was  busy  looking  over  her  husband's 
clothing,  preparing  for  an  absence  of  she  knew 
not  how  long  duration.  These  preparations 
were  much  more  scanty  than  they  would  have 
been  two  years  before.  Two  years  of  separation 
from  their  best  source  of  supply,  the  northern 
cities,  two  years  of  desolated  crops  and  ravaged 
stock  yards,  had  left  but  little  to  live  upon,  and 
although  James  had  invested  funds  in  the  north, 
at  present  they  were  unavailable. 

Frances  Haydock  had  always  kept  a  good 
stock  of  linen  on  hand,  but  constant  appeals  from 
needy  neighbors  had  rapidly  reduced  this  supply. 
The  old  spinning  wheel  was  put  into  requisition 
again,  and  both  mother  and  daughter  spent  many 
an  hour  in  spinning  the  cotton  they  were  fortu 
nately  still  able  to  procure. 

Molly  knew  of  an  old  chest  in  the  loft,  full  of 


GOOD  BYE.  103 

moth-eaten  and  faded  garments  of  worsted  and  silk 
brocade ;  many  a  time  as  a  child  she  had  looked 
over  the  ancient  costumes,  and  now  they  fre 
quently  suggested  themselves  to  her  mind  as  a  last 
resource  should  all  other  supplies  fail.  James 
Haydock  occupies  himself  in  making  every  ar- 
rangment  for  his  wife's  comfort  while  he  should  be 
away,  and  told  John  how  to  provide  wood  for  the 
winter,  and  gather  in  what  crops  they  might  be 
able  to  save.  He  said  but  little  of  a  prolonged 
absence  to  Frances,  for  she  constantly  expressed 
a  hope  that  the  end  of  the  war  might  not  be  far 
distant  and  then  their  troubles  would  be  ended ; 
at  least  this  worst  trouble  of  all,  separation  from 
one  another.  Very  tender  was  his  manner  toward 
his  wife  during  these  three  days.  Molly  was  rest 
lessly  bent  on  relieving  her  mother  of  all  work 
that  might  keep  her  from  her  husband's  side,  and 
her  father  cast  many  a  loving  look  at  her  as  she 
silently  went  about  the  house  and  garden. 

"  I  cannot  help  it,  father  dear,"  the  girl  said 
one  day  as  he  laid  his  hand  on  her  shoulder, 
"  thee  must  let  me  control  my  feelings  as  best  I  can. 
It  is  like  death  to  have  thee  go  away,  and  worse 
than  death  to  think  of  what  thee  must  suffer." 


104  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

James  Haydock  put  his  arm  around  her  and 
she  sobbed  on  his  shoulder. 

"  Thee  will  be  thy  mother's  great  dependence, 
Molly.  John  is  but  young  and  boyish,  though  he 
does  his  best ;  I  thank  God  daily  for  my  daughter 
Molly."  The  girl  raised  her  head  and  looked  up 
at  him  steadily ;  there  always  had  been  between 
them  a  peculiar  bond  of  love  and  confidence. 

"  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  cheer  mother,"  she 
said  simply,  "  now  I  must  go  for  the  milk,"  and 
the  bright  young  maiden,  anxious  to  hide  her  sor 
row,  ran  out  to  seek  the  cows  in  their  distant  pas 
ture.  The  two  heifers  came  to  meet  her  and 
greeted  her  lovingly,  as  she  crept  through  the  bro 
ken  fence.  John  had  not  put  up  any  bars,  lest  the 
signs  of  care  should  attract  the  marauder's  eyes, 
and  cause  him  to  search  in  that  lonely  spot  for 
things  worth  hiding.  The  rich  thick  grass  sent 
up  a  damp  pleasant  smell,  the  crickets  chirped 
softly,  creeping  forth  from  their  shady  houses, 
night  was  their  time  to  enjoy  themselves  and  hold 
communion  with  the  little  stars  just  beginning  to 
twinkle  faintly,  but  cheerily  in  the  darkening 
sky.  The  cow's  warm  breath,  sweet  with  feeding 
on  the  leaves  and  twigs  of  the  spice-wood,  mingled 


GOOD  BYE.  105 


with  the  cool  air  and  enveloped  Molly  as  she 
milked ;  the  profound  repose  of  the  place  rested 
and  quieted  her. 

After1  milking  was  over,  as  she  drove  the  heif 
ers  to  the  sheltering  clump  of  al'der  bushes  and 
stooped  to  pick  a  branch  of  the  odorous  jesamine, 
two  huge  bats,  black  and  ugly  as  only  southern 
bats  are,  flew  suddenly  out  from  the  dead  tree,  al 
most  brushing  Molly's  face  with  their  wings, 
and  flapped  noiselessly  about  her  head ;  she 
screamed  slightly  and  taking  up  her  pailful  of 
milk,  hurridly  sped  toward  the  fence.  She  was 
startled  to  see  the  figure  of  a  man  standing  by  the 
opening  she  had  come  through ;  for  a  moment  her 
heart  stood  still,  but  the  next  instant  she  recog 
nized  Rosco  Gordon  and  the  feeling  of  relief  was  so 
great  that  she  leaned  her  head  against  a  mossy 
post  and  burst  into  tears. 

"  Miss  Haydock,  Molly,"  the  young  man  ex 
claimed  in  dismay,  "  have  I  startled  you  ?  What 
is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  except  I  am  so  glad  it  is  you  and 
nobody  else.  I  thought  it  was  a  soldier,  and,  oh, 
I  am  not  myself  just  now ;  I  was  frightened." 

Molly  dried  her  eyes  and  crept  through  the 


106  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

fence,  resigning  the  milk-pail  into  Rosco's  hands. 

"  Do  you  think  it  is  safe  for  you  to  come  here 
so  late  alone  ?  "  asked  the  youth. 

"  It  is  safe  for  the  cows,"  replied  Molly,  smil 
ing  a  little;  the' reaction  from  her  fright  overcom 
ing  other  feelings  for  the  moment. 

"  Doubtless,  but  you  are  of  more  importance 
than  the  cows,"  he  rejoined. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  am.  I  can  do  so  little, 
My  consequence  has  dwindled  very  much  lately 
in  my  own  eyes." 

"But  not  in  the  eyes  of  others,  perhaps," 
Rosco  replied.  "  At  any  rate  let  me  either  milk 
the  cows  in  the  future,  or  come  with  you ;  there 
are  too  many  soldiers  and  runaways  now  lurking 
round  the  country  for  you  to  be  alone  so  far  from 
the  house." 

"  John  usually  comes  with  me,  but  he  was 
busy  with  something  else  to-night.  Will  you  come 
in  ?  "  she  asked  as  they  neared  the  house. 

"  Not  now,  thank  you.  What  time  does  Mr. 
Haydock  leave  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,  don't  ask  me,"  Molly  ex 
claimed,  all  her  misery  returning  with  overwhelm 
ing  force. 


GOOD  BYE.  107 


"  Do  forgive  me,  I  did  not  mean  to  recall  your 
trouble  ;  I  was  very  thoughtless." 

"  Xo  mutter ;  it  must  come  soon.  Good-night !" 
The  girl  forgot  to  thank  him  for  bringing  her 
home,  and  left  the  milk  in  his  hands  as  she  hastily 
sought  the  shelter  of  the  house.  He  hesitated  a 
moment,  and  then  gave  the  milk  to  John,  who 
was  at  the  door,  bringing  in  wood  for  the  morning 
fire. 

"  Halloo,  did  you  milk  the  cows  ?  Where  is 
Molly  ?"  ejaculated  the  boy. 

"  In  the  house.  Good-night,"  said  Rosco,  de 
parting  into  the  rapidly  gathering  darkness. 

"  Very  queer  of  Molly,"  soliloquised  John  as 
he  carried  in  the  milk.  "  If  Gordon  begins  milk 
ing  the  cows,  I  wonder  what  he  will  do  next  ?" 

The  following  morning  as  the  early  dew  dried 
away  from  the  grass,  and  the  hands  of  the  old- 
fashioned  clock  ticked  their  deliberate  progress  to 
ward  noon,  a  band  of  gray-clad  soldiers  appeared 
coming  up  the  avenue  leading  to  the  Haydock 
homestead ;  they  halted  at  the  porch  and  one  of 
them,  seemingly  the  captain,  dismounted  and 
went  up  the  steps,  bringing  dismay  to  the  hearts 
of  Frances  Haydock  and  her  daughter.  A  knock, 


108  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

neither  gentle  nor  hesitating,  was  answered  by 
James  Haydock  himself. 

"  You're  Mr.  Haydock,  I  take  it?"  said  the  sol 
dier,  bowing  with  some  politeness  of  manner  as 
the  tall  dignified  figure  confronted  him. 

"  That  is  my  name,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  sir,  I'm  sorry  to  say  it,  but  you  must 
shoulder  your  musket  and  come  with  us  to  Rich 
mond  at  once.  We  have  a  horse  ready  for  you." 

"  I  will  accompany  thee,  but  I  can  neither 
take  arms  nor  engage  in  army  service,"  said 
James  Haydock. 

"  I  suppose  you're  a  Quaker,"  said  the  Con 
federate  officer.  "  Well,  you'll  just  have  to  put 
your  objections  in  your  pocket  now,  and  join  the 
service  like  every  other  decent  man  has  to.  Here 
is  your  horse,  sir.  Have  you  any  traps  ?" 

Frances  Haydock  brought  out  the  small 
bundle  she  had  prepared  for  her  husband ;  there 
was  no  emotion  that  threatened  to  overcome  her 
just  now,  but  a  wonderfully  calm  and  uplifted 
feeling.  It  had  been  with  her  since  their  morn 
ing  waiting  before  the  Lord,  when  they  had  given 
themselves  to  His  all  powerful  protection,  and  felt 
His  almost  visible  presence. 


GOOD  BYE.  109 


"  Tom  bring  up  that  horse ;  now,  sir,  here's 
your  musket ;  take  it  if  you  please." 

James  Haydock  mounted  the  horse,  but  the 
nrisket  remained  untouched. 

"  Why  don't  you  take  it?"  exclamed  the  cap 
tain.  "  Come,  we  have  no  time  to  waste.  Don't 
you  mean  to  shoulder  it?  Remember  you  are 
under  orders  now." 

"  I  am  under  orders,  but  of  a  higher  captain 
than  this  world  generally  acknowledges.  He  tells 
me  not  to  shed  blood,  and  I  cannot  disobey  His 
commands." 

"All  confounded  nonsense,"  impatiently  re 
sponded  the  captain.  "  Still,  I  am  mighty  sorry 
for  you  all,"  he  said  looking  at  the  family  grouped 
in  silence  on  the  piazza,  Molly's  arm  around  her 
mother's  waist,  who,  however,  hardly  looked  as  if 
she  needed  support,  but  would  rather  impart 
strength  to  others.  John's  blue  eyes  flashed,  and 
he  grasped  the  hatchet  with  which  he  had  just 
been  cutting  wood  with  a  clutch  indicating  he 
would  like  to  use  it  on  different  material  than 
cedar  and  light  pine. 

"  Can't  you  pay  the  Exemption  fee  and  stay  at 
home  ?"  asked  the  officer.  "  I'll  take  that  gladly." 


110  THE  HAYDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

"  Thanks  for  the  willingness,  but  I  do  not  feel 
easy  to  do  it;  it  all  comes  to  the  same  thing,'  was 
the  response. 

"  I  don't  see  that ;  but  if  you  won't  pay,  just 
take  your  musket  and  come  along." 

Still  the  musket  was  not  accepted.  For  a 
moment  the  captain  looked  bewildered ;  then  he 
burst  forth  with  an  oath,  "  Do  you  dare  to  defy 
me?  Don't  you  know  I'm  here  to  be  obeyed? 
Tom,  take  that  musket  and  tie  it  across  the  saint's 
back ;  tight,  mind  you." 

This  order  was  obeyed.  Molly's  eyes  grew 
indignant  as  she  saw  her  father  wince  involun 
tarily  under  the  rough  handling  and  the  tight 
twist  of  the  rope,  but  he  said  nothing  and  sat  on 
the  horse  looking  calmly,  rather  sorrowfully,  at 
the  officer,  who  regarded  him  angrily ;  seeing  he 
made  no  resistance,  however,  the  angry  look 
slowly  gave  place  to  a  puzzled  one,  then  he  spoke. 

"  Tom,  you  may  take  that  gun  off  and  tie  it 
on  the  horse.  I'll  leave  the  authorities  at  Rich 
mond  to  deal  with  him.  They  will  not  be  so  easy 
with  you  as  I  am,  confound  you,"  his  anger  rising 
again,  as  he  shook  his  horse's  reins,  "  forward,  we 
have  wasted  time  enough  here." 


GOOD  B  YE.  Ill 

Frances  had  come  near  to  her  husband ;  he 
bent  toward  her  with  a  smile. 

"  Frances,  He  has  shut  the  lion's  mouth  this 
time." 

"  Yes,  and  He  will  do  it  again,  James.  He 
will  be  with  thee  and  with  us,"  was  her  reply,  and 
then  the  horse  and  rider  moved  in  line  with  the 
others,  and  following  the  command  of  the  leader, 
passed  out  of  sight  down  the  sandy  road. 

"Molly,  I  will  go  to  my  room  for  a  little 
while,"  said  Frances  Haydock  when  the  last  sound 
of  the  trampling  hoofs  had  died  away.  "  Call  me 
if  thee  wants  me." 

"  Go,  mother  dear,"  said  Molly.  "  I  will  see  to 
dinner ;  though  its  little  eating  we  shall  do  to-day, 
I  fancy,"  she  added  under  her  breath,  then  turn 
ing  suddenly  away, 

"  Oh,  father,  father,  why  could  not  I  take  this 
in  thy  place  ?  "  She  sat  down  on  the  porch  step, 
and  with  her  hands  covering  her  face  remained 
motionless  a  long  while. 

l<  Molly,  I  have  made  the  fire  up,  and  maybe 
mother  would  eat  an  egg  or  something ;  let's  ask 
her."  said  John,  quietly  touching  his  sister's  shoul 
der.  She  looked  up, 


112  THE  HAYDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

"  John,  thee  is  worth  twice  as  much  as  I  am. 
Mother  ought  to  eat  something.  I  will  go  and  ask 
her.  After  all  the  war  must  end  soon,  every  one 
says  so,  and  father  will  be  taken  care  of,"  and 
Molly  jumped  up,  hope  spreading  its  brightness 
again  over  her  young  face,  and  renewing  the  cour 
age  that  in  young  and  energetic  natures  is  never 
long  absent.  Molly  was  both  sanguine  and  stead 
fast,  though  her  intense,  almost  tragic  way  of  look 
ing  at  life  made  her  less  lively  than  her  brother 
John,  who  had  inherited  more  of  his  mother's 
buoyant  temperament. 

In  the  evening  Mr.  Gordon  and  his  son  rode 
over  to  see  the  Haydocks. 

"  We  were  just  coming  here  this  morning 
when  we  met  the  soldiers,  Mrs.  Haydock,  and  we 
thought  you  would  rather  be  alone  a  while,"  said 
Mr.  Gordon.  "We'll  have  your  husband  home 
again  soon  and  not  a  hair  of  his  head  touched. 
There  are  ways  of  getting  him  back.  I  am  going 
to  Richmond  myself  to-morrow ;  but  I'll  say  no 
more  now.  Keep  a  good  heart,  madam.  Things 
will  be  all  right." 

"  I  am  very  sure  of  that,"  replied  Frances,  a 
faint  smile  passing  over  her  pale  face. 


LV  CAMP.  113 


CHAPTER  X. 

IN  CAMP. 

Long  and  weary  for  James  Haydock  was  the 
journey  to  Richmond.  At  first  the  soldiers  taunted 
and  annoyed  him  in  every  possible  way,  but  the 
gentleness  with  which  this  treatment  was  received 
and  the  various  little  helpful  actions  performed  by 
him  .whenever  opportunity  offered,  at  last  won  the 
tolerance,  if  not  the  regard,  of  his  companions; 
and  when  he  went  with  the  captain  to  report  at 
Richmond  to  the  authorities  who  were  to  decide 
into  which  regiment  he  was  to  be  detailed,  there 
was  no  attempt  made  to  prejudice  the  officers 
against  him;  in  fact,  another  offer  was  made, 
even  urged  upon  him,  of  obtaining  immunity 
from  service  by  paying  the  Exemption  tax.  This 
was,  however,  distinctly  refused  and  the  officer  in 

authority  ordered  him  to  be  placed  in  the 

regiment  and  sent  to  Petersburg,  Virginia.      It 
was  at  this  place  that  the  mining  and  countermin 
ing  of  the  Northern  and  Southern  forces  ended 
(8) 


114  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

later  in  a  scene  of  such  awful  destruction  that  the 
name  of  Fort  Hell  was  given  to  one  of  the  fortifi 
cations. 

"  May  I  send  a  letter  home  to  my  family  ?  " 
he  asked,  as,  hand-cuffed  for  disobedience  to  the 
order  to  carry  arms,  he  was  led  from  the  dingy 
little  office  where  he  had  been  undergoing  exam 
ination. 

"  There  is  no  objection,  if  you  can  get  anyone 
to  write  and  carry  it  for  you ;  you  will  remain 
hand-cuffed  till  further  orders,  unless  you  agree  to 
do  your  part  as  an  honest  man  should,"  was  the 
rather  surly  reply. 

"  I  will  write  it  for  you,"  said  one  of  the  sol 
diers  who  had  accompanied  him  to  Richmond, 
"  but  I  don't  know  who  will  carry  it." 

"  Whar  yere  frum,  Massa  ?  "  asked  a  young 
negro  boy  who  had  been  leaning  against  the  door 
of  the  recruiting  office  while  the  examination  was 
going  on,  and  who  now  approached  James  Hay- 
dock's  side.  The  information  asked  for  having 
been  given,  he  pondered  a  moment  or  two,  and 
then  said,  speaking  low : 

"  I  reckon  I  kin  get  it  tuk  fo'  yere  if  yere 
won't  make  no  mention  of  it  to  ony  pussun. 


IN  CAMP.  115 

Reckon  some  folks  be  agoin'  tro'  dat  way  sum 
time,  but  dey  won't  want  nothin'  said  'bout  it,  no- 
now."  So  in  the  station  from  which  James  Hay- 
dock  was  to  take  the  train  to  Petersburg,  a  few 
dictated  lines  were  written  and  given  to  the  negro 
boy,  to  be  sent  by  unknown  hands  to  the  dear 
ones  at  home. 

Although  more  than  a  year  had  now  passed 
since  the  slaves  had  been  proclaimed  free,  many 
of  them  were  still  coming  from  the  far  South  and 
passing  the  lines  of  the  contending  armies  with 
more  or  less  difficulty,  according  to  the  part  of  the 
country  they  travelled  through.  Sometimes  they 
were  detained  and  questioned,  and  sometimes 
they  were  not,  but  allowed  to  go  almost  as  un 
heeded  as  dusky  birds  of  passage.  Wherever 
they  went,  however,  the  Quakers  befriended  them, 
and  any  one  who  wore  the  distinctive  dress  of  this 
sect  claimed  gratitude  from  the  negro.  Thus  it 
was  that  James  Haydock  was  enabled  to  send 
back  to  his  family  news  of  himself,  that  could 
hardly  have  been  taken  in  any  other  manner. 

The  journey  in  the  crowded  uncomfortable 
cars,  wherein  few  seats  were  allowed,  and  those 
only  plain  benches  without  backs,  was  soon  over, 


116  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

and  the  soldiers  marched  to  an  encampment  from 
whence  the  distant  lines  of  the  Northern  army 
could  be  seen.  No  engagement  was  anticipated 
for  two  or  three  days,  as  the  attacking  force  was 
supposed  to  be  small,  and  Petersburg  with  its- 
fresh  reinforcements  wras  fairly  well  protected. 

The  repeated  and  steady  refusal  of  James 
Hay  dock  to  join  the  daily  drill  had  so  exaspera 
ted  his  officers  that  orders  were  issued  to  place 
him  in  the  front  ranks,  should  a  battle  take  place, 
and  let  him  be  shot  down  as  a  punishment  for 
insubordination.  The  colonel  of  the  regiment, 
however,  being  really  a  man  of  kindly  disposi 
tion,  felt  inclined  to  make  another  effort  to  bring 
"  Haydock  to  his  senses,"  as  he  expressed  it.  On 
the  evening  of  the  second  day  in  camp,  he  left  his 
tent  and  sauntered  down  to  where  the  soldiers 
were  lounging  round  the  camp-fires.  James  Hay- 
dock  was  sitting  a  little  apart,  leaning  against  a 
large  oak  tree.  The  lovely  hills  encircling  the 
city  were  growing  more  shadowy  as  the  evening 
glow  faded,  and  a  blue  haze  crept  up  from  the 
valley;  a  few  stars  were  visible  and  nature  at 
least  was  peaceful  and  calm.  James  Haydock 
held  his  Bible  loosely  in  his  hand,  (they  had  un- 


IN  CAMP.  117 

fettered  him,  seeing  his  quiet  behavior)  and  his 
eyes  were  fixed  steadily  on  the  far  off  mountains 
whose  repose  was  so  absolute. 

"  Good-evening,  Haydock,"  said  Colonel  Pres 
ton,  "  don't  you  think  you  had  better  throw  that 
book  away  and  fight  your  own  way  through  like 
a  man  ?  Don't  get  up ;  I  want  to  talk  to  you." 

"  I  think  this  book  is  more  likely  to  help  than 
to  hinder  me  in  the  fight  I  am  making,"  replied 
James  Haydock,  smiling  as  he  made  room  on  his 
blanket  for  Colonel  Preston  to  find  a  place  beside 
him. 

"  Do  you  really  think  your  Lord  is  going  to 
protect  you  when  the  battle  comes  on  ?" 

"  I  have  never  known  a  case  where  our  Mas 
ter  failed  His  believing  children,"  was  the  ready 
response. 

"  Pshaw ;  do  you  know  you  are  to  be  put  in 
the  front  ranks  and  be  made  a  mark  for  the  first 
fire?" 

"Somebody  will  have  to  go  into  the  front 
ranks,  and  I  would  rather  trust  to  God's  protec 
tion  in  such  a  situation  than  to  one  musket  among 
several  hundreds.  Christ  has  said  that  they  that 
trust  in  Him  need  never  be  afraid  ;  surely  He  can 


118  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

save  now  from  death  as  well  as  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago." 

"  I  don't  know  much  about  your  God  ;  but  I 
know  that  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can  save 
you  in  a  battle,  if  unarmed." 

"  I  quite  believe  that." 

"  Surely  you  are  not  such  a  fool  as  to  believe 
in  miracles,  are  you  ?" 

"  May  I  ask  thee  another  question  before  I 
answer?"  queried  James  Hay  dock. 

"Certainly,  I  have  nothing  to  do  just  now 
and  am  very  willing  to  hear  you  talk,"  said  Col 
onel  Preston,  settling  himself  comfortably  against 
the  oak  tree.  Several  of  the  younger  officers,  see 
ing  their  colonel  address  James  Haydock,  had 
drawn  near,  and  were  now  standing  around  the 
principal  speakers. 

Many  were  the  discussions  indulged  in  dur 
ing  these  idle  waiting  hours,  and  very  often  the 
subjects  pitched  upon  were  of  a  serious  nature ;  a 
fact  that  perhaps  might  be  accounted  for  by  the 
nearness  to  danger,  and  the  knowledge  that 
twenty-four  hours  or  less  might  bring  the  next 
world  very  close  to  some  of  them. 

"  Ask  what  you  please,  I  don't  say  I  will  al 
ways  answer,  however,"  the  colonel  went  on. 


IN  CAMP.  119 

"  Does  thee  believe  the  Bible  ?"  asked  James 
Haydock. 

"  Oh,  yes,  in  a  way ;  some  parts  of  it ;  I 
doubt  its  inspiration,  but  its  moral  teaching  is 
certainly  good.  I  read  lately  a  paper  by  a 
Unitarian  clergyman,  of  Boston,  in  which  he 
said, '  The  Bible  is  a  book  of  many  mistakes,  but 
we  do  not  mind  them,'  I  think  that  is  about  my 
position." 

"  'A  book  of  many  mistakes,' "  repeated 
James  Haydock,  rather  slowly,  "  and  thee  is  will 
ing  to  trust  thy  knowledge  of  a  future  life  to  a 
book  that  has  many  mistakes  ?  I  do  not  think  I 
would  take  such  a  book  as  a  guide  in  questions  of 
law  or  medicine,  still  less  for  life.  But  granting 
thy  position  that  parts  are  true,  does  thee  believe 
that  there  is  a  God,  or  Creator  of  the  world  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  believe  there  is  a  God,  though  nature 
is  good  enough  for  me,"  said  Colonel  Preston,  an 
swering  the  note  of  interrogation,  "but  miracles 
do  not  happen ;  that  is  exploded  long  ago." 

"  They  do  not  happen,  I  admit,  they  are  al 
ways  the  intentional  direct  action  of  a  Supreme 
power,  which  has  an  end  in  view.  Why  does  thee 
not  believe  in  them  ?  " 


120  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  Because  they  are  contrary  to  nature." 

"  Can  any  one  give  the  dictionary  meaning  of 
a  miracle  ?  "  asked  James  Haydock. 

The  chaplain  of  the  regiment,  who  was 
stretched  out  on  the  ground  near  the  colonel's 
feet,  pulled  a  little  dictionary  out  of  his  breast 
pocket  and  read  slowly  by  the  fading  light : 

"  Miracle,  an  event  or  effect  contrary  to  the 
established  course  of  things ;  a  deviation  from  the 
known  laws  of  nature." 

He  replaced  the  volume  in  his  pocket.  James 
Haydock  spoke. 

"  Miracles  are  not  to  be  believed  in  because 
they  are  exactly  what  they  are  defined  to  be."  A 
suppressed  laugh  went  round  the  circle  of  listeners 
and  Colonel  Preston  looked  foolish. 

"  How  do  you  know  such  a  thing  as  a  miracle 
ever  existed?"  he  retorted,  pulling  himself  to 
gether  again. 

"  Can  we  define  a  thing  that  never  existed  ?  " 

"  Things  often  exist  simply  in  the  imagina 
tion  ;  any  one  knows  that." 

"A  combination  of  things  or  circumstances  is 
often  conjured  up  by  the  imagination;  but  to 
carry  the  question  back  a  little  further,  can  you 


IN  CAMP.  121 

even  imagine  anything  that  absolutely  never  was 
seen  or  heard  of?  " 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  could,  unless  it  was 
suggested  to  man  by  an  intelligence  superior  to 
his  own,  a  mind  knowing  something  he  did  not," 
replied  the  colonel.  He  was  beginning  to  be 
interested ;  for  he  was  an  educated  man,  and  liked 
to  meet  an  opponent  worth  arguing  with,  as  he 
now  recognized  this  Quaker  to  be. 

"  Ah,  thee  has  touched  the  idea  of  revelation, 
a  wide  subject,"  said  James  Haydock. 

"  But  to  return  to  miracles ;"  said  Colonel 
Preston,  "  why  should  the  supreme  intelligence 
that  made  the  laws  of  nature,  erratically  suspend 
them  ?  It  would  bring  everything  into  confusion." 

"  That  is  the  old  theologian's  idea,  and  incor 
rect,  I  think.  Have  we  any  proof  that  they  are 
suspended?  Does  a  bird  when  he  flies  upward 
suspend  the  laws  of  gravitation?  I  think  he 
simply  exerts  a  power  that  is  superior,  and  over 
comes  it." 

"  I  see  your  point,  Mr.  Haydock,"  said  the 
colonel.  "  You  think  the  ordinary  forces  are 
overcome  by  extraordinary  ones." 

"  I  would  like  to  see  a  miracle,"  said  one  of 


122  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

the  younger  officers.  "Then  one  might  believe 
in  them." 

"Exactly,"  responded  James  Haydock  smil 
ing,  "  and  every  generation  would  require  a  mira 
cle  to  be  performed  for  its  belief,  till  raising  of  the 
dead  and  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind  would  be 
come  so  common  as  to  be  no  miracle  at  all.  The 
next  generation  would  no  more  believe  your  re 
cord  than  you  believe  the  ancient  testimony." 

"Hume  says,"  remarked  a  thoughtful-look 
ing,  keen-eyed  man,  sitting  on  a  knapsack  near 
by,  "  that '  a  miracle  supported  by  any  human  tes 
timony  is  more  a  subject  of  derision  than  of  argu 
ment.'  " 

" '  Human  testimony/  "  muttered  the  chap 
lain  under  his  breath,  "  would  he  admit  superhu 
man,  I  wonder?  Hume  himself  says  he  never 
read  the  New  Testament  through." 

"  He  also  says,"  replied  James  Haydock,  "  *  I 
own  that  there  may  possibly  be  miracles  of  such 
a  kind  as  to  admit  of  proofs  from  human  testi 
mony/  and  then  tries  to  do  away  with  his  own 
admissions  by  saying, '  but  should  such  a  miracle 
be  ascribed  to  a  new  system  of  religion,  men  of 
all  ages  have  been  so  imposed  on  by  ridiculous 


IN  CAMP.  123 

stories  of  that  kind  that  this  very  circumstance 
would  be  full  proof  of  the  cheat.' " 

"  You  have  a  very  good  memory,  Mr.  Hay- 
dock,"  said  the  colonel,  a  little  sarcastically. 

"  I  think  we  usually  remember  what  we  are 
interested  in,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Other  religions  than  Christ's  have  claimed 
miracles ;  Mohammed  for  instance,"  suggested  the 
chaplain. 

"  Miracles  have  been  claimed  for  them ;  Mo 
hammed  claimed  none,  nor  were  any  ever  shown 
publicly;  his  night-visions  were  known  only  to 
himself;  his  followers  would  not  swear  to  them. 
Christ's  miracles  were  done  openly,  not  '  in  a  cor 
ner'  but  before  thousands.  The  religion  He 
preached  was  inaugurated  by  miracles,  and  God 
bore  him  '  witness  both  with  signs  and  wonders 
and  divers  miracles.'  It  is  one  thing  to  challenge 
an  unbeliever  to  try  a  religion  by  its  miracles,  and 
quite  another  to  ask  a  believer  to  accept  them  as 
part  of  a  system  in  which  he  already  believes,  as 
is  the  case  with  Mohammed.  Oh,  my  friends,  if 
you  all  would  accept  Christ's  religion !  "  The  grave 
face  of  the  speaker  had  grown  wonderfully  earnest. 

"  I  consider,  Mr.  Haydock,"  said  a  soldier  who 


124  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

had  not  spoken  before, "  that  the  Bible  is  not  divine, 
but  is  really  the  best  outcome  of  humanity." 

"  How  then  can  the  fact  be  accounted  for  that 
it  came  out  at  a  very  poor  time  of  civilization  ?  " 
was  the  answer,  upon  which  the  soldier  concluded 
to  go  and  attend  to  the  camp  fire,  which  seemed  to 
need  more  wood. 

"  You  don't  answer  my  idea  about  the  stop 
ping,  or  rather  interfering  with  nature's  laws,  Mr. 
Haydock,"  said  Colonel  Preston,  who  had  been 
silent  some  time. 

"  May  I  illustrate  ?  "  asked  James  Haydock. 
"  There  is  a  system  of  water-works  now  in  opera 
tion  which  is  so  arranged  that  the  demand  regu 
lates  the  supply ;  according  to  the  rapidity  of  the 
discharge  at  the  cock  is  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  pumping-engine  works.  Then  when  a  fire  in 
the  town  subjects  the  apparatus  to  a  very  unusual 
tax,  a  signal  in  the  engine-room,  acting  automat 
ically,  causes  the  engineer  to  gear  on  the  reserve 
power  always  ready  for  use  and  so  even  in  an  emer 
gency  there  is  a  provision  for  ample  supply. 
Could  not  a  Supreme  power,  which  we  must  credit 
with  intelligence,  exert  a  reserve  power  and  yet 
infringe  none  of  nature's  laws  ?  Modern  science 


IN  CAMP.  125 

limits  God's  power  to  the  laws  displayed  in  nature 
and  then  asserts  that  He  violates  His  own  laws  by 
miracle.  I  deny  both  positions,  and  fully  believe 
that  a  miracle  is  not  a  violation  of  law,  but  is 
only  such  interference  with  the  established  course 
of  things  as  infallibly  shows  us  the  presence  of  a 
superior  power." 

"  Such  things  as  miracles  are  contrary  to  my 
experience,  and  I  don't  propose  to  believe  in 
them,"  remarked  a  slim  young  lieutenant,  lazily 
knocking  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe. 

"So  the  African  said  when  an  Englishman 
told  him  he  had  seen  water  solid  enough  to  walk 
on,"  retorted  the  keen-eyed  man  of  whom  we  have 
before  spoken,  then  turning  to  James  Haydock, 
he  asked  respectfully, 

"Admitting  miracles,  and,  if  human  testi 
mony  in  both  good  quantity  and  quality  is  to  be 
taken  on  this  point  as  it  is  taken  on  every  other 
subject  in  the  world,  we  must  admit  them,  why 
do  you  think  the  Saviour  performed  them  ?  Could 
not  His  religion  and  teachings  have  been  estab 
lished  without  the  miraculous?" 

"  I  suppose  it  could,  and  yet  as  God  selected 
this  way  of  indicating  the  Divine  authority  of  His 


126  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

messenger,  we  must  suppose  it  to  be  the  best  way 
of  showing  God's  power.  Had  this  New  Testa 
ment,  in  which  many  of  the  Old  Testament  or 
Mosaic  laws  were  done  away  with,  as  for  instance 
'  an  eye  for  an  eye,'  was  replaced  by  the  law  of 
love  and  'resist  not  evil,' — had  the  New  Testa 
ment  been  sent  by  simply  natural  means,  the  ac 
ceptance  of  it  would  probably  have  been  far  less 
complete.  God  appealed  to  the  natural  senses, 
sight,  hearing,  touch,  showing  what  His  power 
could  accomplish  in  the  physical  or  natural  world, 
in  order  to  induce  confidence  in  the  spiritual 
realms  where  one  can  only  follow  by  faith.  What 
other  stronger  proof  of  His  power  can  you  sug 
gest?" 

"  I  do  not  know ;  all  nature  is  full  of  wonders, 
and  yet  they  do  not  seem  to  impress  us  with  any 
special  belief  in  God." 

"  True  enough ;  they  are  so  common  that  we 
get  used  to  them ;  the  mind  needs  to  be  startled 
to  be  impressed ;  we  need  something  out  of  the 
established  order  of  things  to  quicken  our  percep 
tions." 

"  We  shall  see  something  out  of  the  estab 
lished  course  of  thing  if  you  come  out  scot-free  in 


IN  CAMP.  127 

the  next  battle.  It  will  fix  the  fate  of  a  lot  of  us. 
I  wish  you  all  success  and  safety  in  your  faith,  Mr. 
Haydock,"  said  the  slim  young  officer  to  whose 
experience  miracles  were  contrary,  "  it  seems  all 
foolishness  to  me." 

"  I  know — '  to  the  Greek,  foolishness ;  to  the 
Jews,  a  stumbling  block ' — but  unto  them  which 
are  called,  Christ  the  power  of  God.  '  I  know 
whom  I  have  believed/  '  and  as  we  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by 
us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead  be  ye  reconciled 
to  God.' "  In  his  earnestness,  James  Haydock  had 
risen  and  was  standing  with  bared  head  under 
the  wide-spreading  oak  branches,  whose  leaves 
were  slightly  moved  by  the  night  wind ;  the  num 
berless  tents  of  the  regiment  lay  quietly,  dimly 
outlined  by  the  uncertain  light  of  the  camp  fires 
whose  smoke  curled  up  and  disappeared  in  the 
cloudy  darkness  overhead ;  no  stars  were  now  vis 
ible  ;  most  of  the  soldiers  had  turned  in  for  the 
night,  and  the  group  around  the  speaker  remained 
silent  as  he  continued  with  uplifted  face, 

" '  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ  ?'  '  Neither  death  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come.' 


128  THE  HA  YDOCKS''   TESTIMONY. 

1  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  con 
querors  through  Him  that  loved  us.' " 

He  stopped,  and  as  with  one  accord  the  lis 
tening  group  rose  and  stood  a  moment  before  him 
without  speaking,  the  chaplain  almost  involun 
tarily  raised  both  hands  and  pronounced  a  bene 
diction  over  the  uncovered  heads,  then  turned 
and  sought  his  tent,  followed  by  the  other  men ; 
the  Colonel  silently  shook  hands  with  James  Hay- 
dock,  and  left  him  standing  under  the  tree,  where 
he  lingered  a  moment  listening  to  the  strains  of  a 
negro  hymn  that  floated  to  him  from  a  far  off 
corner  of  the  camp. 

"  My  Lord,  what  a  morning, 
My  Lord,  what  a  morning, 
My  Lord,  what  a  morning, 

When  the  stars  begin  to  fall." 


ON  SffOR  T  RA  TIONS.  ]  29 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ON   SHORT   RATIONS. 

"  Mother,  the  corn-meal  is  nearly  gone.  We 
gave  some  yesterday  to  poor  Martha  Royal,  and 
there  is  just  enough  for  ourselves  for  another  day," 
said  Molly,  coming  out  of  the  big  store  closet  into 
the  living  room  where  Frances  Haydock  sat  spin 
ning. 

"  Well,  John  must  take  the  rest  of  the  corn 
to  mill  to-day  on  old  Dick  ;  it  is  too  heavy  for  him 
to  carry,  and  then, — there  is  no  prospect  of  any 
more  to  send,"  her  mother  said  looking  up  at 
Molly,  but  not  seeming  discouraged. 

"  No,  the  last  set  of  soldiers  who  went  through 
here  took  what  corn  they  did  not  ride  down,  for 
fodder  for  their  own  horses.  There  are  lots  of 
potatoes  though,  and  John  had  just  planted  peas 
for  a  late  crop ;  the  hard  work  is  developing  him 
finely,"  said  Molly  with  a  little  laugh.  What  a 
happy  arrangement  it  is  that  sorrow  seldom  stays 
persistently  with  the  young !  It  comes  and  goes, 

(9) 


130  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

and  though  the  "coming"  is  often  overwhelm 
ing  and  seems  endless  for  the  time,  the  "  going  " 
is  as  certain  to  follow  as  the  sunrise  is  to  follow 
the  sunset ;  and  so  it  was  that  Frances  Haydock 
was  constantly  cheered  by  her  children's  merry 
ways,  and  herself  joined  with  all  the  brightness 
possible  in  their  daily  occupations.  Her  trust  in 
God  kept  her  calm  and  restful,  though  much  of 
her  old  light-heartedness  had  vanished  in  the  ab 
sence  of  her  husband. 

The  few  penciled  lines  that  he  sent  telling  of 
his  welfare,  and  saying  that  he  was  probably 
going  to  Petersburg,  had  been  left  by  an  old  col 
ored  man  nearly  two  weeks  after  the  date  of  his 
letter.  Molly,  to  whom  the  messenger  handed  it, 
left  her  work  of  training  the  vines  on  the  porch 
and  urged  him  to  come  in  and  rest  awhile. 

"  No,  honey  "  he  said,  "  my  people  air  on  de 
way  to  see  Mars  Lincoln,  and  ef  Jerry  gits  behin' 
no  one  will  eber  look  out  fo'  him.  It's  mighty 
few  'lations  I  still  has,  but  I  want's  to  go  along 
wid  dem ;  dey  know  de  way,  an'  it's  only  'cause 
one  of  yere  people  was  once  mighty  good  to  me 
dat  I  'commodated  yere  by  bringin'  dese  few 
lines." 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  131 

"  It  was  very,  very  good  of  you  to  stop ;  do 
take  a  bit  of  corn  bread  anyhow,"  and  Molly  ran 
into  the  house  and  made  up  a  parcel  of  hoe  cake 
for  the  old  man. 

"Tank  yere  kin'ly,  Misse,  sech  onexpected 
helps  cum  in  mighty  well.  My  little  gran'son 
I'se  carryin'  wid  me,  was  wailin'  fo'  sum  dis  berry 
day.  I  reckon  he  gits  tired." 

"  Where  are  you  going,  uncle  ?  "  asked  Molly. 

"  De  good  Lord  knows,  Misse,  I  don't ;  dey  is 
jess  totin'  me  'long  'cause  I  wouldn't  stop  behin'. 
Good  evenin',  honey." 

This  was  now  several  days  ago,  and  they 
heard  vague  rumers  of  an  engagement  that  had 
taken  place  at  Petersburg,  but  no  definite  news  of 
it  had  yet  reached  their  ears. 

"  I'll  tell  John  about  the  corn,"  said  Molly, 
going  out  toward  the  barn ;  she  saw  her  brother 
standing  in  the  open  door  holding  a  big  hen  by 
the  legs ;  the  creature  was  screaming  wildly. 

"  Molly,  this  hen  does  nothing  but  cluck ;  she 
never  lays  any  eggs,  I  think  I'll  kill  her." 

"  Well,  she  would  make  a  good  stew,"  respond 
ed  Molly.  "She  is  doing  something  more  than 
cluck  now,  however." 


132  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

"  I  wish  we  could  stop  the  hens  clucking  any 
how  ;  they  make  such  a  lot  of  noise  they'll  bring 
the  soldiers  down  on  us  all,  and  then  no  more 
hens." 

"  Or  eggs,"  said  Molly.  "  I  don't  see  though 
how  we  can  stop  the  clucking.  We  can  shut  the 
hen-house  up  at  night  and  let  them  roost  any 
where  ;  they  are  not  as  easily  found  by  the  tramps 
then." 

"  No,  but  the  wild-cats  and  the  foxes  would 
have  a  jolly  time." 

"  John,  do  you  know  that  cellar  under  the 
barn?  No  one  would  ever  know  it  was  there, 
especially  if  we  put  brush  over  the  entrance.  We 
could  put  perches  up  for  the  chickens  and  drive 
them  in  every  night." 

"  All  right.  What  about  the  old  horse  ?  Put 
him  in  too  ?  "  asked  John. 

"  I  doubt  if  even  the  soldiers  would  want 
him."  At  this  instant  the  hen  who  had  stopped 
screaming  and  was  watching  John  sideways  with 
a  cocked-up  head,  kicked  herself  free  from  his  re 
laxed  grasp  and  flew  through  the  barn  door  up 
into  the  nearly  empty  hay-mow,  scattering  feathers 
in  her  flight  over  Molly's  head. 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  133 

"  There  goes  our  stew." 

"  Never  mind,  I'll  shoot  her  when  we  want 
her,  it  is  too  hard  work  running  her  down.  I 
wonder  what  we  shall  do  for  hay  next  winter  if 
father  is  not  back  ?  "  remarked  John,  changing  the 
subject  and  a  little  ruefully  regarding  the  scantily 
filled  mow. 

"  I  could  help  rake  the  grass  if  it  was  cut," 
said  Molly. 

"  I'll  try  what  I  can  do ;  but  its  mighty  hard 
not  being  able  to  get  any  help." 

"  There  are  people  a  good  deal  worse  off  than 
we  are,  John.  Will  thee  take  the  corn  now  or 
after  dinner  ?  " 

"After  dinner,"  said  the  boy,  going  into  the 
stable  to  feed  old  Dick,  "  think  he'll  carry  me  and 
the  corn  too?"  he  looked  sceptically  at  Dick's 
shaky  knees  and  lean  sides ;  the  poor  animal  was 
only  fed  on  hay  and  grass  now,  no  corn  being  al 
lowed  him  from  their  scanty  store. 

After  dinner  as  Molly  was  spinning,  crossing 
and  re-crossing  the  room,  singing  the  while,  Rosco 
Gordon  ran  up  the  porch  steps  and  entered  the 
large  room ;  Molly  greeted  him  with  a  smile,  but 
did  not  stop  her  work. 


134  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

"  Always  busy,  Miss  Haydock  ?  "  he  said.  "  It 
makes  me  feel  how  lazy  I  am,  to  look  at  you." 

"  Is  your  hay  all  in  ? "  she  asked.  "  Do  sit 
down,  you  need  not  stand  because  I  do,  and  I 
know  you  were  at  the  hay  all  the  morning ;  John 
said  so." 

"  So  we  were ;  we  can  hire  no  help  and  the 
work  must  be  done.  Is  John  here  ?  " 

"  He  has  taken  some  corn  to  the  mill  to  be 
ground.  Mother  is  lying  down;  she  does  not 
sleep  very  well  at  night  just  now  and  takes  a  rest 
in  the  day." 

"  When  did  John  go  ?  "  asked  Rosco. 

"More  than  an  hour  ago.  Why?"  replied 
Molly,  startled  a  little  by  the  tone  of  anxiety  in 
Rosco's  question. 

"Of  course  he  must  wait  till  the  corn  is 
ground ;  he  could  not  return  promptly.  There  is 
a  company  of  soldiers  about  hunting  recruits  and 
he  is  a  well-grown  fellow  for  his  age.  I  think  I'll 
ride  over  that  way,  they  may  give  him  trouble ; 
the  mill  is  a  great  place  for  people  to  stop." 

"  Do  you  really  think  there  is  any  danger  ?  " 
asked  Molly,  following  the  young  man  as  he  rose 
and  went  out  to  untie  his  horse. 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  1 35 

"  I  scarcely  can  believe  so,  but  there  is  no 
harm  in  going  over.  I  did  not  mean  to  pay  you 
so  short  a  call,"  he  added  smiling. 

"  Will  you  not  come  back  again  ?  "  the  girl 
said. 

"  I  will  certainly,  and  be  only  too  glad  to,"  he 
replied,  mounting  his  horse  and  urging  him  to  a 
gallop. 

Molly  went  back  to  her  spinning  wheel  fear 
ing  she  hardly  knew  what,  but  pacing  steadily 
back  and  forth  over  the  smooth  floor  as  if  the 
regular  motion  was  a  relief  to  her  troubled 
thoughts.  Presently  the  door  of  her  mother's 
room  opened;  Frances  Haydock  came  out  and 
going  to  her  husband's  desk  seated  herself  before 
it,  making  rather  an  anxious  search  through  its 
contents. 

"  Molly,"  she  said,  taking  up  an  old  pocket- 
book,  "  father  kept  all  his  money  in  here,  did  he 
not?" 

"  I  think  so,  mother,"  Molly  replied. 

"  There  are  but  a  hundred  dollars  left,  then," 
said  her  mother,  looking  into  every  division  of  the 
pocket-book. 

"  Well,  mother  dearie,  what  do  we  want  with 


136  THE  HAYDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

the  money?  There  is  nothing  to  buy,  and  we 
have  food  enough  and  clothes  enough,  and  fuel 
enough  in  the  big  swamp  anyhow,  and  lights  in 
the  pine  knots  if  the  candles  give  out  as  the  oil 
has,"  was  the  cheery  response. 

"  The  candles  are  not  very  plentiful  now," 
said  her  mother,  "  and  food  may  become  scarce. 
But  the  war  must  end  soon.  We  are  much  favored 
to  keep  well  and  comfortable." 

"  When  this  cruel  war  is  over,"  sang  Molly, 
"  Oh  yes,  we  will  do  beautifully ;  in  hot  weather 
one  doesn't  want  much  to  eat,  and  there  are  lots 
of  ducks  and  squirrels  in  the  swamp  for  autumn." 

"  John  is  very  good  with  his  gun,"  said  Fran 
ces  Hay  dock.  "  I  wonder  he  has  not  returned  yet. 
It  is  surely  time  for  him  to  come." 

"Ducks  are  a  legitimate  use  for  guns,"  re 
marked  Molly,  desirous  to  keep  her  mother's 
thoughts  from  John  just  now.  "Here  comes  a 
horse,  I  think,"  and  she  went  to  the  door  followed 
by  her  mother. 

"  There  are  two,  Molly ;  oh  !  what  is  the  mat 
ter,  Mr.  Gordon  is  bringing  John  home  before  him 
on  his  horse  and  Rosco  is  on  the  other." 

"I'm  all  right,  mother,"  shouted  the  cheery 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  137 

Toice  of  her  son,  "  only  Mr.  Gordon  would  not  let 
me  walk  home.     Rosco  has  the  meal." 

"  Where  is  old  Dick,  John,"  asked  his  sister, 
much  relieved  to  see  the  boy  jump  lightly  from  the 
horse  as  Mr.  Gordon  stopped  in  front  of  the  porch. 

"  The  rascals  seized  him  for  a  baggage-mule, 
and  said  they  would  knock  him  on  the  head  if  he 
was  no  use,"  exclaimed  John,  clenching  his  hands 
as  he  looked  at  his  mother;  she  turned  to  Mr. 
Gordon. 

"  It  was  lucky  I  was  riding  by,  Mrs.  Haydock  ; 
a  company  of  recruiting  officers  were  there,  and 
having  found  but  few  men  were  in  a  bad  humor. 
They  came  up  just  as  John  was  coming  out  with^ 
the  meal,  and  one  man  laid  hands  on  the  horse." 
"  I  told  'em  he  was  no  good  for  their  use,"  inter 
rupted  the  boy. 

"  And  that  provoked  them ;  and  they  said 
they  would  take  the  horse  and  boy  too,  he  being 
such  an  able  bodied  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Gordon. 

"  And  I  said  I  was  a  Quaker  and  wouldn't 
fight,"  said  John. 

"  Oh,  John,  John,"  exclaimed  his  mother. 

"  Why  didn't  thee  keep  quiet,  John,"  said 
Molly,  a  half  smile  on  her  lips. 


138  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

"Of  course  that  was  the  finishing  touch," 
continued  Mr.  Gordon,  "  and  when  I  came  up  they 
had  John  tied  to  the  horse's  tail  and  were  just 
preparing  to  move  off ;  I  was  mighty  glad  that  I 
had  turned  up  just  in  time.  I  had  not  meant  to 
go  home  that  way  either,  but  something  seemed 
to  say,  '  ride  by  the  mill,'  and  so  I  did.  The  cap 
tain  knew  me  and  looked  ashamed  of  himself 
when  I  told  him  the  boy  was  under  age,  and  I 
would  make  trouble  for  him  if  he  was  taken. 
Rosco  came  galloping  along  at  that  minute  and 
seeing  two  staunch  Southerners  they  let  John  go  ; 
they  were  pretty  sulky  about  it,  however,  and 
J  did  not  dare  interfere  about  the  horse;  they 
might  have  taken  the  meal  if  Rosco  hadn't  put  it 
on  his  horse  and  walked  off  before  they  had  time 
to  notice  it.  So  here  we  are,  and  I  am  very  glad, 
Mrs.  Haydock,  to  bring  your  son  home  safely." 

"I  am  indeed  very  thankful,"  said  Frances 
Haydock,  "  Our  Master  sent  thee  to  the  mill  in 
time,  I  feel  sure." 

"  I  will  take  the  meal  round  to  the  kitchen 
door,  Miss  Haydock,  shall  I  ?"  asked  Rosco  Gordon, 
who  still  sat  on  his  horse  with  the  meal-bag  before 
him,  "  John  is  a  little  shaken  by  his  experience." 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  1 39 

In  truth  the  boy  did  look  rather  white  as  he 
sat  on  the  porch  steps.  Molly  went  through  the 
house  and  met  young  Gordon,  at  the  back  door. 

"  You  see  I  came  back  as  you  asked  me,  but 
I  am  sorry  not  to  bring  the  horse  too." 

"  It  is  one  animal  less  to  care  for,"  replied 
Molly,  "  and  we  shall  not  have  to  send  to  mill  any 
more,  for  this  is  the  last  of  the  corn." 

"  This  the  last  ?  What  will  you  do  when  this 
is  gone?  Oh,  never  mind;  'sufficient  unto  the 
day/  No,  I  will  take  it  in.  There,  you've  knocked 
the  red  honeysuckle  out  of  your  hair."  He  stooped 
and  picked  up  the  full  red  cluster,  putting  it  into 
his  buttonhole. 

"  Now  I  am  decorated  also ;  that  is  a  lovely 
bunch  you  have  at  your  waist,  and  they  suit  your 
white  dress  beautifully."  He  talked  on  to  brighten 
her  sad  face  if  possible ;  John's  imminent  danger 
had  shocked  her  greatly. 

"  Father  always  liked  red  and  white,"  said 
Molly,  "Thank  you  very  much,  the  meal  goes 
in  here,  please,"  she  lit  a  candle  to  show  Rosco 
into  their  now  nearly  empty  store-closet.  "  How 
thankful  I  am  you  saved  John  from  being  taken 
away !" 


140  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

"It  was  a  pretty  near  thing.  The  soldiers 
seems  to  regard  Quakers  with  a  special  hatred.  I 
think  I'll  turn  Quaker  myself  out  of  sympathy 
for  the  persecuted,"  returned  Rosco  lightly. 

"  Are  you  in  earnest  ?"  asked  Molly,  holding 
the  candle  on  high,  as  she  turned  and  looked  at 
him. 

"  The  more  I  look  at  the  question  of  war  and 
study  the  Bible,  the  more  it  seems  to  me  the  only 
consistent  Christian  course,"  the  young  man  re 
plied,  soberly,  "it  was  certainly  the  example 
Christ  set  and  most  clearly  taught.  Non-resistance 
was  His  principle  always." 

"  Oh,  what  if  the  army  should  claim  you 
too !"  exclaimed  Molly. 

"It  is  very  odd  that  they  have  not;  I  feel 
though  as  if  it  were  coming.  Well,  we  are  not 
there  yet,"  with  a  half  sigh  over  what  might  soon 
be  required. 

"  No,  you  seem  to  stay  here,"  broke  in  John's 
merry  voice,  quite  himself  again  seemingly. 
"  Haven't  you  put  that  meal  in  the  barrel,  yet? 
Molly,  I  don't  like  candle-grease  in  my  hoe-cake." 

Molly  laughed  as  she  noticed  how  crookedly 
she  was  holding  her  candle  over  the  barrel. 


ON  SHOR  T  RA  TIONS.  141 

"  We  may  have  to  come  to  it,  if  our  lard  gives 
out,"  she  said. 

"  We  need  not  anticipate,  though,"  said  John. 
"  Rosco,  Mr  Gordon  wants  you  now  to  go  home 
with  him." 


142  THE  HAYDOCKS    TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
COLONEL  PRESTON'S  VICTORY. 

We  must  go  back  a  little  in  our  story  to 
where  the  Confederate  army  lay  at  Petersburg, 
awaiting  the  attack  of  the  Federal  forces.  It  was 
the  day  after  the  conversation  between  the  col 
onel  and  Haydock.  The  officers  thought  an  en 
gagement  was  imminent,  and  might  take  place 
at  any  hour.  The  colonel  was  moving  around 
among  his  men  to  make  sure  that  everything  was 
in  readiness,  and  paused  a  moment  to  speak  to 
James  Haydock  who  sat  reading  in  the  door  of 
his  tent. 

"  Haydock,  won't  you,  as  a  personal  favor  to 
me,  carry  a  rifle  to-day  ?  I  really  can't  put  a  man 
into  battle  unarmed." 

"  '  The  Lord  will  be  my  shield  and  buckler.' 
'  He  that  putteth  his  trust  in  Him  shall  never  be 
confounded.'  I  do  appreciate  thy  interest  and 
am  grateful  for  it,  but  I  cannot  go  back  on  my 
captain.  If  it  is  His  will  to  protect  me,  He  is  as 


COLONEL  PRESTOWS  VICTORY.  143 

able  to  do  it  in  battle  as  elsewhere,  and  if  He  sees 
fit  to  take  me  home  to  Himself, '  even  though  He 
slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him.' "  James  Hay- 
dock  had  risen  and  stood  with  one  hand  on  the 
rein  of  the  colonel's  horse  looking  earnestly  at  the 
rider,  who  looked  back  at  him  as  steadily. 

"  Well,  I  do  not  understand  it ;  yours  is  not 
the  faith  of  a  blind  fatalist,  I  see  that,  and  I 
should  like  to  know  the  power  that  holds  you  up. 
If  we  come  alive  out  of  this  day's  work,  I'll  have 
another  talk  with  you.  Wasn't  that  a  shot?  I've 
no  more  time  now ;  may  your  God  keep  you,"  and 
turning,  Colonel  Preston  rode  hastily  away;  al 
most  at  the  same  moment  two  soldiers  approached 
James  Haydock,  and  each  taking  one  of  his  arms, 
he  was  led  away  to  the  company  with  whom  he 
was  to  share  the  peril  of  the  front  rank  in  battle. 

As  James  Haydock  stood  in  line  awaiting  the 
nearer  approach  of  the  blue  battalions  corning 
down  the  opposite  hill  and  across  the  valley  lying 
between  them,  thoughts  crowded  into  his  mind 
with  intense  vividness. 

The  lovely  blue  sky  over  them,  the  sunshine 
flooding  the  country,  the  hundreds  of  bright 
manly  fellows  now  full  of  vigor,  in  a  few  minutes 


144  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

to  be  stretched  lifeless,  or  in  agony,  on  the  ground  ; 
why  should  they  suffer  ?  What  would  their  death 
avail?  Did  they  save  another  life  by  resigning 
their  own  ?  Could  not  the  horrible  waste  of  hu 
man  life  have  been  prevented  by  wise  legisla 
tion  carried  into  effect  years  ago  ?  When  a  crisis 
is  upon  us  the  time  of  preparation  is  past ;  when 
men  are  angry  and  every  passion  is  aroused,  the 
moment  to  preach  pacific  measures  is  over,  and 
the  result  is  that  thousands  must  suffer  for  foolish 
delay  or  blindness  in  forseeing  the  evil.  And  is 
this  suffering  expiatory?  No,  a  hundred  times 
no,  it  is  simply  and  solely  the  inevitable  result  of 
sin.  Is  the  pain  of  a  burn  the  expiation  for  put 
ting  one's  hand  into  the  fire  ?  Even  a  child  would 
hardly  so  assert,  yet  we  hear  it  constantly  affirmed 
that  the  blood  so  abundantly  shed  in  our  civil 
war  was  in  expiation  for  the  sin  of  slavery  !  The 
unavoidable  consequence  of  sin  is  suffering ;  the 
inevitable  result  of  leaving  the  light  is  to  walk  in 
darkness.  The  crime  of  slavery  was  but  working 
out  its  natural  end  of  death  and  destruction,  and 
involved  in  its  fall  many  who  had  shaken  them 
selves  free  from  the  evil  nearly  a  century  before. 
What  can  be  more  pathetic  than  the  words  of  the 


COLONEL  PRESTON'S   VICTORY.  145 

prophet  Jeremiah  as  applied  to  our  country  in 
her  deep  distress.  "  A  wonderful  and  a  horrible 
thing  is  committed  in  the  land  ;  the  prophets  pro 
phesy  falsely,  and  my  people  love  to  have  it  so, 
and  what  will  ye  do  in  the  end  thereof?" 

So  absorbed  was  James  Haydock's  mind  in 
thoughts  of  this  kind  that  he  was  only  awakened 
to  a  full  sense  of  his  surroundings  when  a  shower 
of  rifle-balls  fell  about  him,  and  through  the  sud 
den  cloud  of  smoke  he  saw  that  the  blue-coats 
were  coming  up  the  hill,  the  answering  volley 
from  the  Confederates  failing  to  check  the  onward 
rush.  The  man  on  his  right  hand  loaded  his  re 
volver  after  this  first  fire,  and  his  eyes  gleamed 
fiercely  at  the  foe,  the  one  on  his  left  hand  had 
fallen  and  entered  the  next  world  with  a  curse  on 
his  lips.  As  Colonel  Preston  rode  rapidly  along 
the  ranks,  cheering  his  men  on,  his  eye  fell  on 
James  Haydock  standing  quietly  with  his  hands 
loosely  clasped  behind  him,  looking  out  into  the 
confusion. 

"  Haydock,  for  God's  sake,  go  to  the  rear.  I 
can't  see  a  man  standing  that  way ;  it  is  down 
right  murder." 

"  In  faith  it  is  all  murder,"  muttered  a  smooth 

(10) 


146  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

faced  lad  as  a  shot  struck  him  and  he  fell  at  the 
colonel's  feet.  "  I  wonder  how  mother  will  get 
along  without  me,"  was  the  faint  whisper  that 
James  Hay  dock  caught  as  he  bent  a  moment  over 
the  young  face  so  suddenly  grown  gray  and  rigid. 

"  He's  gone.  Go  to  the  rear,  I  tell  you ;  I 
command  you." 

Silently  James  Haydock  turned  to  obey  or 
ders  when  a  fresh  and  still  closer  hail  of  shots 
staggered  him  for  an  instant ;  almost  blinded  by 
the  smoke,  he  could  yet  see  that  the  colonel  had 
fallen  from  his  horse,  and  lay  motionless,  while 
the  animal  fled  wildly  over  the  field.  Without  a 
minute's  hesitation,  James  Haydock  lifted  the 
rather  slight  form,  and  carrying  it  in  his  arms, 
walked  quietly  along  the  line  and  back  to  the 
tents  in  the  rear. 

"  I  thought  you  said  that  man  was  a  coward," 
said  a  soldier  to  his  comrade ;  "  that  don't  look 
much  like  it." 

"  Coward  or  hero,  sinner  or  saint,  I  don't 
know;  but  I  wish  I  felt  as  calm  as  he  looked. 
Look  out,  here  they  come,  now  for  a  close  fight 
and  may  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  our  souls." 

"  Divil  a  bit  the  Lord  is  in  this  sort  of  work ; 


COLONEL  PRESTOWS  VICTORY.  147 

it  ain't  His  kind.  We'll  drive  'em  back  though, 
if  we  can." 

And  driven  back  they  were ;  it  was  not  that 
day,  nor  the  next,  that  Petersburg  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Northern  army.  There  was  to  be  a 
greater  horror  before  the  end  was  reached.  A  hor 
ror  of  exploded  mines,  earth  and  stones  flung  up 
ward,  with  a  shower  of  mangled  bodies  falling 
again  from  the  height  to  which  so  many  human 
forms  had  been  blown.  Well  earned  was  the  name 
of  Fort  Hell,  still  clinging  to  the  place.  Weeks 
after  the  fight  occurred,  the  writer,  in  walking 
over  the  ground  shuddered  to  behold  here  and 
there  a  skeleton  hand  sticking  out  from  the 
earth,  telling  its  pitiful  story;  while  every  few 
steps  a  skull  would  gleam  up  through  the  clay, 
with  the  hair  on  it  blowing  in  the  soft  summer 
wind. 

There  was  no  sleep  for  James  Haydock  that 
night.  The  Northerners  acknowledging  their  de 
feat,  retired  to  their  camps  toward  dusk ;  the  sun 
shone  redly  through  the  smoke  lingering  over  the 
battle-field,  and  soon  dropped  behind  the  quiet 
hills,  while  the  damp  mists  rose,  and,  mingling 
with  the  smoke  wreaths,  made  the  air  thick  and 


148  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

heavy.  As  James  Haydock  moved  from  tent  to 
tent  doing  what  he  could  to  relieve  the  sufferers, 
he  met  the  chaplain,  who  stopped  a  moment,  re 
garded  him  curiously  and  then  said : 

" '  Is  thy  God  whom  thou  servest  continually, 
able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions  ? ' "  and  James 
Haydock  adopting  the  further  language  from 
Daniel  of  old,  responded  in  like  manner : 

" '  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut 
the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me." 
The  chaplain  spoke  again,  half  to  himself. 

"'Then  was  the  king  exceeding  glad  for 
him ; ' "  then  in  a  more  practical  tone  asked : 

"  Have  you  seen  the  colonel  within  an  hour 
or  so?" 

"  No ;  the  doctors  were  with  him  when  I  came 
away,  and  I  have  been  doing  what  I  could  for 
others.  I  fear  he  is  seriously  wounded." 

"  Have  you  looked  at  the  dead  ? "  was  the 
chaplain's  next  question. 

"  No." 

"  Would  you  mind  then,  going  into  the  long 
tent,  and  seeing  if  there  are  any  little  things  about 
them  you  can  send  home  to  the  families  ?  Any 
thing  is  such  a  comfort." 


COLONEL  PR E STOWS  VICTORY.  149 

The  hush  that  prevailed  under  the  long  white 
canvas  canopy  was  very  solemn,  and  contrasted 
strangely  with  the  moans  to  which  James  Hay- 
dock  had  been  listening  when  helping  with  the 
wounded.  Here  all  pain  was  over ;  peacefully  lay 
the  still  forms  on  the  bare  boards  that  did  not 
look  uncomfortable  as  the  entire  repose  of  the 
faces  was  noted.  No  emaciation  from  illness,  no 
sign  even  of  suffering  is  found  as  a  rule  on  the 
faces  of  those  who  make  sudden  exit  from  this 
world.  A  few  attendants  were  gently  going  among 
the  bodies,  trying  to  find  the  address  of  distant 
relations  to  whom  would  soon  come  the  heavy 
tidings,  "  Killed  at  Petersburg."  Sometimes  a 
photograph  in  a  letter  would  be  found,  sometimes 
a  pocket  testament  with  the  name  of  the  giver  in 
it,  and  from  the  breast  pocket  of  one  young  man, 
James  Haydock  took  a  letter  containing  a  dark 
brown  lock  of  hair  tied  with  a  tiny  silken  curl  of 
gold.  The  simple  inscription,  "  Baby's  hair," 
brought  the  tears  to  James  Haydock's  eyes  as  he 
replaced  the  envelope  over  the  heart  that  could  no 
longer  beat  for  wife  or  child. 

Till  day  dawned,  James  Haydock  continued, 
with  many  others,  to  do  what  he  could  to  alleviate 


150  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

the  misery  always  following  a  battle,  and  as  the 
eastern  sky  began  to  lighten  he  went  to  snatch  a 
few  minutes  rest  in  his  tent.  From  this  he  was 
presently  aroused  by  a  hand  on  his  shoulder  and 
looking  up  he  saw  the  chaplain  standing  before 
him,  looking  tired  and  sad. 

"  Colonel  Preston  wants  you,"  he  said,  "  I 
don't  seem  able  to  satisfy  him,"  he  added  with  a 
melancholy  little  smile.  James  Haydock  rose  at 
once. 

"  Is  he  very  ill  ?  " 

"The  doctors  give  him  only  twenty-four 
hours,  I  believe ;  but  I  hope  it  is  not  that  bad- 
Here,  take  this  coffee  before  you  go,"  and  the 
chaplain  took  a  cup  from  a  passing  negro  boy 
who  had  been  carrying  the  refreshing  beverage  to 
many  a  thirsty  soul  through  the  night 

"  Thanks ;  now  I  will  go."  A  very  few  steps 
brought  him  to  Colonel  Preston's  tent ;  the  wound 
ed  man  was  lying  quietly  on  his  mattress,  with 
eyes  wide  open,  seemingly  fixed  on  nothing ;  but 
a  look  of  recognition  came  into  them  as  James 
Haydock  entered  the  doorway,  pausing  a  minute 
on  the  threshold. 

"Come   in,  and   sit  down,   no   ceremony  is 


COLONEL  PR  E  STOWS  VICTORY.  151 

needed  now.  I  do  not  think  I  thanked  you  for 
carrying  me  off  the  field  yesterday." 

"  No  thanks  were  necessary,  surely ;  it  was 
the  only  thing  to  do,"  and  James  Haydock  sat 
down  on  a  camp  stool  beside  the  bed. 

"  You  had  no  rifle  or  sword  to  impede  your 
steps,  either,"  said  Colonel  Preston  smiling  rather 
grimly,  "  I  am  glad  I  had  ordered  you  to  the 
rear,  it  was  lucky  for  me  I  did.  You  would  not 
have  gone  without,  would  you  ?  " 

"  Probably  not,  but  do  not  talk  of  it  now.  Is 
there  anything  I  can  do  for  thee  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  may  be,  I  don't  know ;  no  one  so 
far  has  given  me  satisfaction  on  these  questions 
that  will  rise  in  my  mind,"  then  suddenly,  "  How 
do  you  know  there  is  a  future  state?  I  have  half 
believed  in  a  God,  sometimes  I  think  I  do,  but 
nature  has  always  been  the  God  I  have  really 
worshipped  ;  she  has  been  my  guide." 

James  Haydock  made  no  motion  of  surprise, 
waiting  quietly  till  the  short,  rather  hurried  sen 
tences  had  stopped ;  meanwhile  the  chaplain  had 
glided  in,  seemingly  unnoticed,  and  taken  a  seat 
behind  the  colonel. 

"  Is  thee  suffering  ?  Will  talking  hurt  thee  ?  " 
was  James  Haydock's  first  question. 


152  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  No,  no,  I'm  not  in  pain,  the  trouble  is  some 
thing  internal,  they  say,  I  don't  know  how  they 
know ;  but  go  on,  talk,  and  leave  off  your  con 
founded  '  thees '  and  '  thous/  will  you  ?  I  don't 
get  the  sense  clear.  I  beg  pardon ;  I  don't  mean 
to  hurt  you,"  he  added,  controlling  the  irritation 
caused  by  weakness. 

"You  don't  hurt  me,"  replied  James  Hay- 
dock,  gravely.  To  him  the  "plain  language" 
was  not  a  matter  of  vital  importance.  Coming 
directly  to  the  point,  he  said,  "  You  speak  of  na 
ture  as  a  guide." 

"  Yes,  she  is  infallible ;  and  she  seems  to  teach 
that  we  die  and  return  to  the  earth  as  do  the  ani 
mals.  I  have  studied  her  a  good  deal  and  it 
seems  to  me  I  have  interpreted  correctly." 

"  I  have  studied  nature  also ;  and  it  is  curious 
how,  having  been  educated  by  the  same  teacher, 
we  have  arrived  at  different  conclusions.  Either 
one  of  us  has  not  understood  her  teachings,  or  she 
has  deceived  us,"  said  James  Hay  dock,  following 
the  colonel's  line  of  thought. 

"  No,"  replied  the  colonel,  "  nature  does  not 
deceive,  whatever  else  may." 

"  Then,"  said  James  Haydock,  "  the  mistake 


COLONEL  fRESTOWS  VICTORY.  153 

is  in  one  of  us.  May  I  compare  my  views  with 
your's  ?  I  take  it  you  only  seek  the  truth  ?" 

"  That  is  all ;  go  ahead,  I  like  to  hear  you 
talk,"  he  put  one  hand  under  his  cheek  and  lay 
looking  at  his  companion  with  bright,  seeking 
eyes.  This  was  not  the  usual  manner  of  death 
bed  talk,  and  the  speaker  attracted  him. 

"  Have  you  ever  known  in  your  experience  a 
creature  whose  nature  was  opposed  to  its  appetite?" 
The  colonel  thought  a  few  minutes  and  then  said. 

"  No,  such  a  creature  cannot  exist.  With  a 
carnivorous  stomach  and  an  herbivorous  appetite 
the  creature  would  soon  starve." 

"  Can  you  think  of  any  exception  to  this 
law?" 

"  No ;  none  certainly  in  the  animal  world ; 
of  course  education  in  a  few  instances  might 
almost  change  nature,  but  the  rule  holds  the 
same." 

"  You  think  you  are  going  to  die  ?"  was  the 
next  seemingly  irrelevant  question. 

"  I  suppose  so,"  and  a  pained  look  passed  over 
the  expressive  face  for  an  instant  only. 

"  You  think  death  terminates  your  existence  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  can't  really  see  anything  else  ?" 


154  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY.  

"  Now  answer  me,  have  you  not  an  appetite 
for  something  you  have  not  yet  gotten  ?" 
"  Yes,  I  want  to  live." 
"  How  long  do  you  want  to  live?" 
"  You  have  me  there,  how  can  I  possibly  tell 
you?" 

"  If  you  lived  till  the  world  were  destroyed 

supposing  that  ever  takes  place,  would  your  de 
sire  for  life  be  satisfied  ?" 

"No." 

"  Would  it  ever  be  satisfied  ?  Does  nature 
then  give  you  a  longing  that  can  never  be  satis 
fied?  Would  even  a  God  be  a  just  God  who  im 
planted  an  appetite  for  something  that  was  never 
to  be  satisfied  ?" 

"  No ;  I  do  not  think  I  ever  saw  the  thing  in 
that  light  before.  Have  I  been  mistaken  ?" 

"  Would  this  satisfy  you,  '  I  am  the  living 
bread  that  came  down  from  Heaven ;  if  a  man  eat 
of  this  bread  he  shall  live  for  ever  and  ever/" 

"  That  would  satisfy,  if  you  believed  it." 

"  Is  it  not  a  logical  deduction  that  the  longing 
for  more  than  we  shall  find  in  this  world  should 
be  provided  for  ?  Does  not  the  very  fact  that  the 
longing  exists  prove  that  there  is  something  to 


COLONEL  PRESTON'S  VICTORY.  155 

satisfy  it  ?  Will  you  not  accept  God  and  believe 
in  the  redeeming  power  of  Christ,  '  who  His  own 
self  bare  our  sins  in  His  own  body  on  the  tree?' " 

"  What  is  the  rest  of  that?"  asked  the  colonel, 
his  face  softening  more  and  more  as  the  words 
spoken  grew  clear  in  the  approaching  light  of  the 
next  world. 

" '  That  we  being  dead  to  sins,  should  live  unto 
righteousness — by  whose  stripes  ye  are  healed,' " 
then  quoting  a  foregoing  verse,  half  to  himself, 
James  Haydock  added,  "  '  Who,  when  He  was  re 
viled,  reviled  not  again ;  when  He  suffered  He 
threatened  not,  but  committed  Himself  to  Him 
who  judgeth  righteously.'" 

"  Who  judgeth  righteously,"  repeated  Colonel 
Preston,  "  Where  should  I  be  if  I  were  judged  ac 
cording  to  my  deeds  ?  Yet  I  have  lived  as  other 
men." 

" '  We  have  all  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God.'  '  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  ad 
vocate  with  the  Father.'  'And  He  laid  on  Him 
the  iniquity  of  us  a^.' " 

"  Haydock,  as  the  end  draws  near,  one  must 
believe  there  is  something  more.  This  life  cannot 
go  out  here ;  there  is  too  much  in  us,  and  the  look- 


156  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

ing  for  a  future  is  inevitable ;  there  must  be  some 
thing  beyond ;  now  how  do  we  attain  to  it  ?" 

" '  There  is  none  other  name  under  Heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved,' " 
answered  James  Haydock. 

"And  that  means  Christ?  Say  that  text 
about  Him  again." 

" '  Who  His  own  self  bare  our  sins,  in  His  own 
body  on  the  tree,' "  slowly  repeated  James  Hay- 
dock,  with  an  earnest  silent  prayer  that  the  truth 
might  go  home  to  the  anxious  listener ;  in  a  low 
voice  he  continued  the  simple  quotations  from 
Scripture. 

" '  Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 
remission.'  '  If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  He  is  in 
the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another, 
and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin.'  '  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
is  born  of  God.'  '  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He 
gave  His  only  begotten  Son  that  whosoever  be 
lieveth  on  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever 
lasting  life.' "  The  voice  ceased.  Colonel  Preston 
covered  his  eyes  with  his  hand  as  he  listened,  not 
to  man's  arguments,  but  to  the  simple  words 
from  the  Bible.  In  the  silence  that  followed  the 


COLONEL  PRESTOWS  VICTORY.  157 

cessation  of  the  speaker's  voice,  he  removed  his 
hand  and  quietly  said  :  "  I  do  believe  in  God, 
and  that  Jesus  Christ  is  His  Son." 

" '  He  that  believeth  hath  everlasting  life,'  and 
'  he  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  wit 
ness  in  himself,' "  said  James  Haydock,  thankfully 
watching  the  dawning  of  light. 

"  That  is  surely  true,  and  I  think  the  witness 
is  speaking  in  me,"  said  the  colonel,  "  Thank  God 
you  ever  came  to  camp,  Mr.  Haydock ;  nothing 
ever  impressed  me  as  your  absolute  faith  has  done ; 
it  gave  me  confidence  in  you  and  showed  a  power 
somewhere  that  I  did  not  understand.  It  was  worth 
all  the  preaching  in  the  world,  and  now  you  have 
given  me  rest ;  the  doubt  is  gone.  God  has  been 
wonderfully  good  to  me."  He  stopped  speaking 
and  lay  quietly  looking  away  through  the  tent 
door  to  the  distant  hills ;  there  was  no  particular 
evidence  of  emotion  in  his  acceptance  of  the  truth, 
but  a  great  peace  overspread  his  face,  showing 
the  reality  of  the  change.  At  this  moment  the 
doctor  came  in  and  walking  up  to  the  bedside  of 
the  wounded  man,  laid  his  hand  on  his  pulse; 
the  colonel  looked  at  him  inquiringly. 

"  Am  I  any  better,  doctor  ?     I  don't  suffer." 


158  THE  HAYDOCKS*    TESTIMONY. 

"  No,  you  may  not  suffer  at  all,  but  you  are 
no  better." 

The  doctor  was  a  blunt,  though  a  kind- 
hearted  man ;  feeling  strongly  he  often  concealed 
the  feeling  under  an  off-hand  manner ;  he  stood  a 
few  minutes  looking  down  at  the  colonel,  who 
presently  looked  up  and  smiled. 

"Are  you  all  right?"  suddenly  asked  the 
doctor. 

"  Aye,  all  right,"  was  the  quick  response, "  two 
hours  ago  I  was  not  all  right,  but  God  sent  this 
man,  I  truly  believe,  to  me,  and  through  him  light 
has  broken  into  my  heart  at  last ;  I  never  dreamed 
of  seeing  so  clearly.  I  can  die  now,  though  I 
would  like  to  live  to  tell  others  what  has  been  told 
me." 

"  I  thought  you  looked  differently  from  when 
I  saw  you  this  morning.  The  change  was  pretty 
quick."  The  doctor  spoke  a  trifle  doubtfully. 

"  You  think  it  is  a  death-bed  conversion  ?  No 
wonder.  I  don't  know  how  to  tell  you  the  reality 
of  it.  I  never  can,  but  what  I  can  tell  you  is,  it 
does  not  take  a  man  long  to  grasp  a  good  thing 
when  he  sees  it  plainly,  and  God  helped  me  to  see 
it."  The  eager  voice  failed  somewhat,  as  he  fin 
ished  his  sentence. 


COLONEL  PRESTO  WS  VICTORY.  159 

"  You  must  stop  talking  and  rest ;  have  you 
had  anything  to  eat  ?"  The  doctor's  eye  wandered 
round  the  tent  in  search  of  some  one,  and  he  looked 
a  little  surprised  as  the  chaplain  rose  from  his 
dark  corner  and  came  forward. 

"  I  will  get  Colonel  Preston  what  he  needs," 
he  said,  going  out  of  the  tent. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  was  rough  with  him  this  morn 
ing,"  the  colonel  said,  his  eyes  following  him,  "  I 
must  tell  him  so." 

"  Very  well ;  don't  talk  too  much  though,  you 
are  not  able  for  it." 

"  I  want  to  talk  while  I  can." 

"  Your  face  talks  for  you,"  the  doctor  said 
shortly,  "  I'll  come  in  again  by  and  by,"  and  he 
left  to  go  to  others  who  needed  his  attention  more 
than  the  colonel.  For  him  he  knew  there  was  no 
more  to  be  done. 

All  day  long  James  Haydock  stayed  by  his 
colonel,  to  whom,  in  common  with  most  of  the  reg 
iment,  he  felt  a  strong  attachment.  Toward  the 
close  of  the  afternoon  Colonel  Preston  fell  into  a 
quiet  sleep,  and  the  Chaplain  persuaded  James 
Haydock  to  go  and  lie  down  in  his  own  tent. 

"  It  is  close  by,  I  will  call  you  when  he  wakes, 


160  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

and  you  must  be  very  weary."  Thus  urged,  James 
Haydock  consented  to  leave  the  sick  bed,  for  in 
deed  he  was  nearly  exhausted.  In  about  two 
hours  a  touch  on  his  arm  aroused  him. 

"  Will  you  come  ?"  were  the  only  words  the 
chaplain  said,  and  he  followed  silently  to  the  col 
onel's  tent ;  a  slight  smile  crossed  the  face  of  Col 
onel  Preston  as  James  Haydock  sat  down  beside 
him ;  it  went  almost  as  quickly  as  it  had  come  and 
left  a  gravity  that  had  a  tinge  of  questioning 
in  it. 

"  The  valley  of  death  is  not  far  away,"  he 
said,  speaking  with  an  effort. 

"  It  is  but  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 
To  one  who  sees  the  light  of  Christ  shining 
through,  it  can  be  only  a  shadow ;  nothing  to  be 
afraid  of." 

"  I  am  not  afraid ;  the  light  is  clear,  but  the 
passing  seems  strange,"  and  then  James  Haydock 
told  him,  speaking  slowly  to  the  failing  senses, 
the  story  of  the  Alpine  guide,  who,  in  crossing  a 
dangerous  peak,  slipped  upon  the  glittering  snow 
and  fell  down  into  a  precipitous  ravine ;  slipping, 
and  sliding  over  the  smooth  ice,  he  was  still  alive 
when  he  reached  the  bottom,  but  how  hopeless  his 


COLONEL  PRESTO  WS  VICTORY.  161 

situation ;  only  the  eternal  snows  stretched  silently 
above  and  the  blue  sky  looking  pitilessly  down 
upon  him.  A  little  rivulet  rippled  and  sang 
sweetly  beside  him  along  the  ravine,  his  only 
chance  of  escape  lay  in  following  it ;  so  he  follow 
ed  on  and  on  till  all  at  once  a  blank  wall  of  cruel 
ice  rose  before  him  at  whose  base  the  stream  sank, 
seemingly,  into  a  whirlpool  and  vanished.  Was 
all  hope  gone  ?  A  pause,  and  then  with  a  prayer 
to  God  he  sprang  into  the  water  and  struggled 
along  through  a  cavern  to  emerge  in  a  moment  on 
a  green  meadow  covered  with  the  most  beautiful 
Alpine  flowers.  Like  death,  it  was  but  a  passage 
to  a  brighter  world.  Colonel  Preston  listened,  but 
his  face  seemed  to  ask  for  something  more,  and  in 
the  waning  light,  James  Haydock  repeated  the 
words : 

"'This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the 
world,  even  our  faith ; ' "  and  again,  " '  He  that 
believeth  on  me  shall  not  perish,  but  shall  have 
everlasting  life.' " 

Low  and  clearly  fell  the  sentences  from  the 
speaker's  lips,  telling  of  the  certainty  of  everlast 
ing  life ;  the  spirit  passing  looked  out  calmly  and 
expectantly  from  the  deep  and  earnest  eyes  that 

(11) 


162  THE  HAYDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

suddenly  brightened,  and  as  suddenly  failed  and 
grew  dark.  He  was  gone. 

The  chaplain  who  had  been  standing  near 
the  head  of  the  cot,  stooped  forward  and  closed 
the  lids,  when  he  saw  that  all  was  over. 

"  Through  death  unto  life,"  he  said,  as  James 
Haydock  having  risen,  both  men  stood  together 
beside  the  dead.  Straightening  the  limbs  lovingly, 
they  turned  to  leave  the  tent,  the  chaplain  to  see 
about  rendering  the  last  necessary  services  to  his 
colonel,  James  Haydock  to  return  to  his  place, 
feeling  as  though  his  assistance  was  no  longer 
needful.  The  chaplain  stopped  him. 

"  Mr.  Haydock,  I  cannot  leave  you  to-night 
without  telling  you  how  deeply  grateful  I  am  for 
the  lessons  you  have  taught  me  to-day.  I  shall 
never  forget  what  you  have  said,  and  shall  go  on 
my  way  to  fulfil  my  duties  to  others,  I  hope  more 
earnestly  and  believingly  than  I  have  ever  done 
before." 

"  The  words  which  I  have  spoken  were  not 
mine.  May  the  Lord  bless  them  to  you — '  now  the 
Lord  of  Peace  Himself  give  you  peace  always  by 
all  means,'  "  was  James  Haydock's  parting  saluta 
tion  as  he  turned  away  after  a  warm  hand-clasp 


COLONEL  PRESTOWS  VICTORY.  163 

from  the  chaplain.  Lights  were  still  moving 
about  in  some  of  the  tents,  but  his  own  was  dark 
as  he  entered  it  and  a  deep  depression  came  over 
him  as  he  leaned  against  the  post  supporting  the 
canvas.  Colonel  Preston  had  been  a  friend  to  him 
and  he  felt  the  loss;  he  had  heard  nothing  from 
home ;  how  were  all  his  dear  ones,  and  would  he 
ever  see  them  again?  What  would  be  his  fate  in 
the  next  battle?  Would  he  still  be  protected? 
Then  the  words  concerning  Daniel  which  he  had 
spoken  to  the  chaplain  in  the  morning  rose  to 
comfort  him  and  as  if  in  confirmation  of  the 
thought,  again  came  faintly  through  the  darkness, 
the  distant  singing  from  the  negroes'  tent : 

"My  Lord  delivered  Daniel, 
Why  can't  He  deliver  me  ?  " 


164  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

DREARY    DAYS. 

The  summer  wore  away  with  its  long  days  of 
intense  heat.  The  autumn  of  the  last  year  of  the 
war  brought  its  beauty  of  yellow  leaves,  purple 
asters,  and  scarlet  and  orange  berries  to  a  land 
that  groaned  under  the  burden  of  desolated 
homesteads  and  ruined  fields. 

Supplies  of  all  kinds  were  growing  scarcer ; 
roasted  peas  had  taken  the  place  of  coffee,  sassa 
fras  leaves  were  used  for  tea ;  sugar,  except  a  little 
made  from  home  grown  sorghum,  was  hard  to  ob 
tain,  and  sold  at  preposterously  high  prices.  Few 
indeed  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  South  had  any 
money  to  buy  with,  though  cornmeal  was  still  an 
obtainable  commodity,  and  potatoes  were  to  be 
had  in  some  places. 

Frances  Haydock  had  availed  herself  of  an 
opportunity  of  purchasing  a  large  supply  of  corn- 
meal  from  a  neighbor  moving  away  from  the  vi 
cinity  and  therefore  they  were  out  of  reach  of  ab- 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  165 


solute  want,  and  the  two  heifers  fortunately  still 
remained  unimpressed  by  the  army;  they  had 
been  brought  from  their  distant  pasture  to  a 
nearer  one  and  were  housed  at  night  as  the  cooler 
autumn  drew  on,  in  an  unsuspicious  looking  little 
building  behind  the  house.  The  barn  was  too 
often  searched  by  passing  foragers  to  be  a  safe 
shelter  for  the  precious  animals.  Letters  came  in 
frequently  and  by  uncertain  carriers,  from  James 
Haydock,  telling  his  anxious  friends  of  his  cir 
cumstances.  So  far  he  had  been  preserved  in 
safety,  and  had  even  undergone  no  especial  suffer 
ing,  though  he  was  subjected  to  many  privations. 
He  was  often  able  to  do  a  kind  deed  for  his  fellow 
soldiers,  and  was  continually  manifesting  by  word 
and  action  the  faith  that  was  in  him. 

Mr.  Gordon  had  been  a  kind  friend  to  the 
Haydocks  during  the  husband's  absence.  Mrs. 
Gordon,  for  many  years  an  invalid,  was  failing 
more  and  more  as  the  straightened  condition  of 
their  circumstances  told  upon  her,  and  Mr.  Gor 
don  was  thus  much  needed  at  home.  His  son, 
however,  often  rode  over  to  the  Haydock  farm  and 
assisted  in  whatever  way  he  could,  the  household 
in  which  he  had  a  particular  interest. 


166  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

Probably  it  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  old  Mr. 
Gordon  was  known  to  be  a  staunch  Southerner, 
and  disabled  in  the  service,  that  his  son  Rosco  had 
been  permitted  to  remain  at  home.  Since  the  con 
flict  between  North  and  South  began,  the  young 
man  had  pondered  long  and  earnestly  over  the 
position  held  by  Friends,  regarding  war,  and  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  the  only  one 
consistent  with  the  Bible  teachings.  Well  aware 
that  his  father  would  differ  on  this  point,  he  had 
not  spoken  at  home  of  his  convictions,  but  he 
knew  in  his  heart  that  should  he  be  drafted  into 
the  army,  he  must  refuse  to  carry  arms,  even  in 
allegiance  to  his  beloved  South.  He  knew  that 
wars  must  come ;  it  was  foretold  in  the  Bible  that 
as  long  as  the  world  lasted  in  its  present  condition, 
there  would  be  destructive  conflicts.  But  he  also 
saw  clearly  that  many  evils  were  prophesied  in 
the  same  manner,  and  that  the  fact  of  their  being 
inevitable  did  not  make  them  right.  He  believed 
it  was  most  distinctly  the  duty  of  every  child  of 
God  to  free  himself  from  the  sin  of  bloodshed, 
and  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  induce  others  to  view 
the  teachings  of  Christ  in  this  same  light.  Many 
Friends  had  been  taken  from  their  homes  in  the 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  167 


neighborhood  where  the  Haydocks  and  Gordons 
dwelt,  and  had  gone  unresistingly,  though  re 
maining  firm  in  their  refusal  to  bear  arms.  Their 
families  had  been  left  to  toil  on  as  best  they  might, 
their  horses  and  cows  had  been  taken  for  army 
use,  and  all  means  of  travel  being  thus  gone, 
communication  between  neighbors  became  rarer, 
and  households  were  more  isolated. 

Molly  often  felt  very  lonely,  and  the  bright 
presence  of  Eosco  Gordon  was  most  welcome, 
whenever  he  entered  their  quiet  dwelling.  One 
morning  in  late  October,  carrying  a  half-filled  bag 
of  pine  cones  over  his  shoulder,  John  came  run 
ning  up  the  avenue  whose  fine  old  trees  were  be 
ginning  to  have  rather  a  neglected  look ;  strag 
gling  bushes  were  creeping  in  among  them,  and  a 
dead  bough  here  and  there  betokened  the  absence 
of  a  master's  hand. 

"  Oh,  mother ! "  John  cried  breathless^ 
"  there  are  two  companies  of  Northern  soldiers 
coming  up  the  road,  and  they  saw  I  turned  in 
here,  and  they  say  they  must  have  something  to 
eat,  and  hay  for  their  horses;  see,  there  are  the 
first  of  them  now  just  coming  up  the  lane,"  his 
rapid  speech  was  full  of  excitement ;  "  Molly,  the 
heifers — " 


168  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

"  Are  out  at  pasture ;  but  if  these  men  take  a 
quantity  of  hay,  what  shall  we  do  this  winter?" 

"  Trust  in  the  Lord,  daughter  dear,"  said  her 
mother,  whose  quietness  often  calmed  Molly,  just 
as  Molly's  energy  frequently  sustained  her  moth 
er's  sinking  heart. 

Two  squads  of  cavalry  rode  up  before  any 
thing  more  could  be  said  and  dismounting  in  the 
front  yard,  tied  their  horses  in  rows  to  the  sur 
rounding  fence  and  forming  into  line  seemingly 
from  force  of  habit,  approached  the  house. 

"  Will  you  please  give  us  what  you  have  at 
hand  to  eat  ?"  was  the  courteous  demand  of  the 
captain,  as  he  entered  the  living-room  without 
waiting  for  an  invitation. 

"  Certainly,"  was  Frances  Haydock's  willing 
reply.  These  were  Union  men,  and  therefore 
friends  even  if  soldiers.  "  I  suppose  thy  men  will 
be  content  with  what  we  have  ?  It  is  only  hoe- 
cakes  and  coffee." 

"  Not  real  coffee  at  that,  I  fancy,"  said  the 
captain  with  a  smile.  "  Yes,  ma'am,  we  will  only 
take  what  we  can  get ;  but  please  be  quick  about 
it." 

"  Molly  promptly  set  before  them  what  food 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  169 


they  had  ready,  and  fresh  coffee  was  soon  boiling 
on  the  stove.  Forty  men  were  not  easily  satisfied, 
and  Molly's  pans  of  freshly  baked  corn-bread 
disappeared  like  leaves  before  the  wind.  Those 
whose  appetites  were  first  appeased  went  to  the 
barn  and  returned  with  armsful  of  hay  for  the 
weary  horses  that  stood  at  the  fence  with  droop 
ing  heads.  The  heavy  saddles  were  loosened  and 
the  dangling  stirrups  clinked  as  the  hard  ridden 
steeds  shifted  their  position  from  one  tired  leg  to 
the  other.  The  soldiers  threw  themselves  down 
in  the  sandy  yard  under  the  shade  of  the  live  oaks 
and  smoked  leisurely  as  the  horses  ate  their  rather 
•dry  provender.  Some  of  the  men  lounged  on  the 
porch  steps  and  watched  the  smoke  from  their 
pipes  curl  up  among  the  Banksia  roses  and  red 
honeysuckle.  The  quiet  premises  seemed  turned 
into  a  camp.  The  captain  had  made  some  at 
tempt  to  open  a  conversation  with  Molly,  address 
ing  her  in  a  polite  manner  enough,  but  the  girl 
feeling  ill  at  ease  had  cut  him  short,  and  disap 
peared  into  the  kitchen  with  a  pile  of  plates  in 
her  hands,  leaving  her  mother  to  keep  up  the  con 
versation.  Frances  Haydock  supplied  him  with 
what  he  needed,  and  at  last  addressed  him  with 
the  question, 


170  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  Do  they  consider  at  the  North  that  the  war 
is  likely  to  continue  long?" 

"No,  ma'am,"  the  soldier  spoke  decidedly, 
"  we  think  this  winter  will  end  it ;  the  South  can 
not  hold  out  much  longer,  her  supplies  are  pretty 
much  gone,  and  that  is  what  will  make  'em  give 
in.  They've  made  a  plucky  stand,  but  without 
money,  men,  or  food,  so  to  speak,  they  must 
collapse  sooner  or  later  " 

"  I  shall  be  most  thankful  when  it  is  over," 
said  Frances  Haydock. 

"  No  doubt  ma'am  ;  you've  felt  it  a  deal  more 
here  than  the  Northerners  do.  Why  most  of  the 
houses  we  have  been  in  round  here  had  no  car 
pets  ;  cut  'em  all  up  for  army  blankets,  and  such 
food  as  we've  had  to  put  up  with  through  this 
country!  Are  you  a  Southerner,  ma'am  ?" 

"  I  was  born  in  the  South.  I  believe,  how 
ever,  in  supporting  the  Union,  but  not  by  war." 

"  I  don't  see  any  other  way  of  supporting  it, 
ma'am,  just  now,"  he  replied,  "  when  you're  in  a 
sinking  ship,  you  catch  the  first  plank  that  turns 
up ;  do  the  best  you  can." 

"  Better  have  strengthened  the  ship  by  remov 
ing  unsound  wood  before  the  peril  was  upon  us,'* 


DREARY  DAYS.  171 


Frances  Haydock  replied  smiling.  The  straight 
forward  manner  of  the  man  interested  her,  in  spite 
of  his  rather  arrogant  air. 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  I  agree  with  you ;  anyone  who 
has  really  seen  war  does  not  hanker  after  it.  We 
must  be  moving  now,  thank  you  for  the  din 
ner,  and  good-by;  hope  to  see  you  sometime  in 
better  condition,"  and  bowing,  he  went  out  to  get 
his  men  together  for  their  further  march. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  not  see  him  at  all,"  re 
marked  Molly  to  her  mother,  "  they  have  taken 
nearly  all  the  hay."  Through  the  open  door  they 
watched  the  departure  of  the  blue-coated  soldiers, 
soon  the  last  figure  had  vanished  and  no  trace  of 
them  remained  except  the  trampled  sand  and 
scattered  wisps  of  hay. 

"  Mother,  there  is  nothing  for  supper,  is 
there?"  asked  John,  later,  coming  in  from  the 
shed  where  he  had  been  cutting  wood  to  supply 
the  fire. 

"  Molly  and  I  will  soon  bake  some  more  pone 
bread,  if  thee  gets  us  some  eggs,"  said  his  mother 
cheerily,  "  We  must  not  grudge  the  food  to  the 
Union  men,"  pushing  the  hair  away  from  her 
forehead  and  preparing  for  work.  Molly  noticed 
the  rather  weary  gesture  and  said, 


172  THE  HAYDOCKS"   TESTIMONY. 

"Sit  down,  mother,  John  and  I  will  soon 
have  things  in  order." 

"  Yes,  I'll  do  it  all,"  said  the  boy,  suddenly 
remorseful  for  having  found  any  fault  with  any 
thing.  "  I  suppose  I  should  be  glad  to  feed  them, 
but  I  can't  abide  any  of  them,  they  think  they 
can  order  you  all  about." 

"  Well,  so  they  can.  Now  let  us  see  if  we  can 
find  any  eggs.  Mother  dear,  sit  down  awhile. 
There,  chicks,  they  did  not  get  you,  anyhow,  did 
they  ?"  said  Molly,  gently  driving  out  three  half- 
grown  hens  that  were  poking  their  heads  about 
under  the  kitchen  table,  their  feet  rattling  on  the 
bare  floor. 

"  Give  them  that  last  bit  of  corn-bread,  Molly," 
said  John,  and  then  they  walked  to  the  barn  to 
gether. 

"  Pah,  how  the  barn  smells  of  bad  tobacco," 
remarked  John  as  they  stood  on  the  littered  floor. 

"It  is  fortunate  that  they  did  not  set  any 
thing  on  fire,"  returned  Molly  as  they  gathered 
together  the  hay  lying  about  and  tossed  it  back 
into  a  manger. 

"  Molly,  the  evenings  are  getting  very  cool," 
said  John  as  they  went  back  to  the  house  with  a 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  173 


very  few  eggs.  "  I  must  get  in  a  good  supply  of 
cones.  Give  me  the  pail  now  and  I'll  go  and 
milk  the  cows,"  and  John  departed,  whistling  as 
he  went.  His  troubles,  though  keenly  felt  at  the 
time,  did  not  long  depress  his  merry  nature. 

"  Mother,  how  pale  thee  looks ;  does  thy  head 
ache  badly  ?"  questioned  Molly,  as  she  entered  the 
living  room  where  her  mother  was  resting  in  the 
big  chair,  "  won't  thee  go  and  lie  down  ?  I  have 
made  a  little  fresh  hoecake  and  it  is  now  baking." 

"  My  head  does  ache  very  much  this  evening, 
dear,"  her  mother  answered,  in  a  rather  faint 
voice. 

"  I  will  make  thee  a  cup  of  our  good  tea  and 
then  put  thee  to  bed,"  said  Molly,  "  The  soldiers 
have  tired  thee." 

"  Molly,  he  thought  the  war  must  be  nearly 
over,"  said  her  mother,  as  the  girl  took  a  little 
from  their  store  of  real  tea,  now  treasured  for  very 
extra  occasions,  and  proceeded  quickly  to  make 
a  cup  of  the  refreshing  beverage. 

"  Yes,  we  shall  soon  have  father  back  again. 
Now  does  not  this  tea  smell  good  ?" 

"  Very,  my  daughter,"  but  Molly  was  fright 
ened  to  see  a  tear  roll  down  her  mother's  white 


174  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

cheek ;  the  long  strain  was  wearing  Frances  Hay- 
dock  more  than  she  knew. 

"Thank  thee;  now  I  will  go  to  my  room," 
she  said,  and  Molly  assisted  her  mother  to  undress 
and  lay  her  aching  head  down  to  rest. 

John  soon  came  in  and  seeing  Molly's  de 
pressed  look,  lit  the  fire,  talking  brightly  all  the 
while,  heaping  on  fuel  till  the  flames  leaped  gayly 
up  the  chimney,  and  the  melting  turpentine  on 
the  cones  dropped  into  the  blaze,  sending  a  resin 
ous  odor  through  the  room. 

"  Molly,  come  have  some  supper,  do,  I'm  hun 
gry,"  and  Molly  came  to  the  table  whereon  John 
had  set  the  hoecake  and  milk. 

"I'm  going  to  boil  two  eggs,  right  here  on 
the  coals,  I  think  our  hens  are  really  splendid 
to  lay  so  many,"  and  John  set  a  little  saucepan 
on  some  pine  cones  which,  being  an  unsubstantial 
foundation,  presently  upset  the  utensil  with  its 
contents  on  to  the  wide  hearth. 

"The  eggs  are  done  anyhow,"  said  John, 
"  now  eat  them  both,  Molly,"  but  she  made  him 
take  one,  and  then  went  to  see  if  her  mother  was 
sleeping;  as  she  entered  the  chamber,  Frances 
Haydock  moved  restlessly  and  opened  her  eyes. 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  175 


"  Molly,  give  me  some  of  that  anodyne  please, 
I  cannot  get  to  sleep  "  Molly  administered  the 
narcotic  and  then  sat  beside  her  mother  till  her 
face  grew  calm  and  she  fell  quietly  asleep.  As 
the  girl  came  from  the  chamber,  closing  the  door 
gently,  John  rolled  over  from  his  favorite  resting- 
place  before  the  fire. 

"  Molly,  I'm  going  to  bed ;  I  want  to  get  up 
early  to-morrow  and  do  a  big  day's  work  with  the 
cones,  so  good-night." 

"  Good-night,  dear,"  and  the  maiden  was  left 
alone  in  the  large  room  into  whose  shady  corners 
the  firelight  threw  only  a  fitful  illumination.  Be 
fore  long  a  familiar  step  sounded  on  the  porch, 
breaking  in  on  her  sad  musings,  and  the  light 
knock  was  almost  simultaneous  with  the  opening 
of  the  door  to  Rosco  Gordon. 

"  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  to-night,"  was 
Molly's  greeting  as  she  came  forward,  putting 
away  her  sorrowful  meditations. 

"  And  I  to  come,"  replied  the  young  man,  sit 
ting  down  on  a  low  stool  and  leaning  back  against 
one  of  the  jambs  of  the  high  mantle-piece. 

"  How  is  Mrs.  Hay  dock  to-night?"  he  asked 
looking  up  at  her. 


176  THE  HA  YD  OCXS'   TESTIMONY. 

"  Oh,  so  tired,"  said  Molly,  sitting  down  again 
in  the  deep,  high-backed  rocking  chair.  She  told 
him  of  all  that  had  happened  that  day,  of  their 
numerous  visitors,  and  the  inroad  made  upon  the 
winter's  stock  of  hay. 

"  It  is  only  the  result  of  a  state  of  war  and 
cannot  be  avoided,"  he  remarked.  "  I  am  glad 
you  were  not  annoyed  by  any  rougher  behavior. 
It  is  a  lonely  position  for  you  all,  Miss  Molly.  I 
wish  I  was  able  to  protect  you." 

The  color  heightened  a  little  on  Molly's 
cheek,  for  there  was  a  longing  in  Rosco  Gordon's 
tone  that  made  his  remark  almost  personal. 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  as  near  neighbors  as  you 
are,"  she  said,  "  we  should  feel  desolate  indeed 
without  you." 

"  Have  I  told  you  that  I  have  come  to  hold 
your  father's  belief  about  war  ?  "  said  the  young 
man,  breaking  the  pause  following  Molly's  last  re 
mark.  He  glanced  at  her,  his  hazel  eyes  shining 
in  the  firelight. 

"  No,  have  you  ?  "  she  said,  "  Oh,  Mr.  Gordon, 
it  may  bring  a  heavy  burden  on  you ;  are  you 
able  to  bear  it?" 

"  I  think  I  am.     After  all,  nothing  prompted 


DREAR  Y  DA  YS.  177 


by  love  for  a  dear  Master  can  be  counted  a  bur 
den."  He  turned  from  her,  looking  thoughtfully 
into  the  fire. 

"  Speaking  of  burdens,"  he  said,  "  did  you 
ever  hear  the  little  German  legend  of  the  birds 
and  their  wings  ?  " 

"  Please  tell  it  to  me,"  said  Molly ;  and  he 
told  her  how  the  fable  ran  that  when  the  birds 
were  created  they  were  made  with  soft  and  gor 
geous  plumage,  but  without  wings ;  then  as  they 
hopped  about  lightly  on  the  grass,  the  Creator 
made  a  number  of  wings  and  laid  them  before  the 
birds,  telling  them  to  take  up  these  burdens  He 
had  given,  and  bear  them  for  Him.  Each  little 
bird  lifted  two  wings,  content  to  carry  the  load  the 
Master  gave ;  soon  however  the  wings  grew  fast  on 
the  shoulders,  and  that  which  had  seemed  but  an 
incumbrance  raised  and  bore  the  bird  upward 
toward  a  freer  heaven.  "And  now  I  must  go," 
said  Rosco,  rising  as  he  ended  his  legend,  while 
Molly  looked  up  at  him,  her  eyes  tender  with  the 
beauty  of  the  story  he  had  told  her.  "  I  had  a 
summons  to-day  to  join  the  army,  and  must  leave 
to-morrow  evening,  I  suppose,"  he  spoke  abruptly. 

"  Oh,  must  you  go,  too  ?  "  exclaimed  Molly, 

(12) 


178  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


clasping  her  hands  in  distress,  "  what  will  come 
next?" 

"  Do  you  care  much  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Of  course  I  care,"  she  said,  "  we  all  care," 
she  added,  looking  not  at  him,  but  into  the  glow 
ing  mass  of  coals. 

"  Is  it  selfish  to  be  glad  that  you  do  care  ?  " 
said  he.  "  I  think  I  shall  come  back  again  and 
then — "  He  left  the  sentence  unfinished  and 
silently  shaking  hands  turned  toward  the  door  ; 
she  followed  and  they  stood  on  the  porch  together. 

"  I  will  not  say  good-by  now ;  I  will  see  you 
in  the  morning." 

"  It  is  not  good-by,"  she  replied  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  No,  it  is  not ;  God  willing,"  he  answered  and 
lifting  his  hat,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  was 
quickly  lost  in  the  obscurity  of  the  avenue.  Mol 
ly  stood  listening  to  the  hoof-beats  dying  away  in 
the  distance ;  an  owl,  looking  unnaturally  big  in 
the  faint  light  of  the  young  moon,  floated  noise 
lessly  from  the  roof  over  her  head  and  lighted  on 
the  large  live-oak  at  the  corner  of  the  house ;  she 
could  see  it  standing  amid  the  tiny  green  fern  that 
clothed  the  trunk  of  the  tree  far  up  to  the  branches; 


DREAR  Y  DA  VS.  179 


the  gray  moss  hung  motionless  from  the  spreading 
boughs.  She  felt  unutterably  lonely,  her  father 
gone  and  Rosco  going ;  she  would  not  acknowl 
edge  to  herself  that  the  last  would  be  the  greater 
loss.  As  she  stood  absorbed  in  sad  thoughts,  a 
sudden  light  round  the  corner  of  the  house  star 
tled  her  and  she  ran  down  the  steps  to  see  whence 
it  came ;  hastening  to  the  side  of  the  yard  she  saw 
the  barn  was  in  a  blaze  of  fire,  the  flames  seeming 
to  have  gained  hopeless  headway.  What  should 
she  do?  There  was  absolutely  nothing  to  do. 
The  building  must  have  been  burning  on  the  in 
side  for  some  time.  Fortunately  a  scarcely  per 
ceptible  breeze  carried  the  sparks  away  from  the 
house.  Should  she  rouse  her  mother  ?  She  could 
do  nothing  and  was  sleeping  away  her  weary 
headache ;  Molly  did  not  want  to  wake  her,  and 
John  slept  the  profound  sleep  of  boyhood  in  the 
dark  loft  on  the  other  side  of  the  house.  Molly 
shivered  with  nervous  excitement  as  she  leaned  on 
the  fence  watching  with  fascinated  eyes  the  burn 
ing  hay  whirled  aloft  in  the  current  of  air  created 
by  the  flames.  The  owl,  alarmed  by  the  light, 
with  a  low  uneven  cry  left  the  tree  it  was  sitting 
on  and  winged  its  way  into  a  denser  shade. 


180  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  The  house  is  not  in  danger,"  was  her  one 
thought ;  presently  she  heard  a  horse  come  gallop 
ing  up  the  avenue  and  knew  that  Rosco  Gordon 
had  seen  the  light  and  returned.  Her  figure  was 
clearly  visible  in  the  intense  glare  and  Gordon 
was  quickly  beside  her;  together  they  watched 
the  blazing  building. 

"  The  soldiers  probably  dropped  some  coals 
from  their  pipes  there  this  morning,"  was  his  first 
remark.  "  It  must  have  been  smouldering  a  long 
time." 

"I  suppose  so,"  Molly's  voice  trembled  and 
she  said  no  more. 

"  Miss  Haydock,  won't  you  go  into  the  house  ? 
You  ought  not  to  stand  here  in  the  night  air," 
said  Rosco  anxiously,  seeing  how  she  shivered. 

"  It  is  not  that,"  she  replied,  her  lips  hardly 
forming  the  words,  "  but  everything  seems  to  come 
together."  He  drew  her  hand  within  his  arm  and 
gradually  her  tremor  passed  away  as  they  silently 
gazed  at  the  hopeless  destruction  of  the  old  barn. 
The  framework  shone  like  bars  of  red-hot  iron 
against  the  white  light  within  as  the  billows  of 
flame  rolled  up  amid  the  heavy  smoke. 

"  I  saw  the  light  almost  as  soon  as  I  passed 


DREAR  Y  DA  YS.  181 


beyond  the  oaks.  I  am  only  thankful  your  house 
is  not  in  danger." 

"  Indeed,  yes,"  said  Molly,  speaking  more  like 
herself  again.  "  Ah,  see,  there  goes  the  last  of  the 
rafters ! "  and  in  truth,  beam  after  beam  fell  in, 
and  in  less  time  than  one  could  imagine,  the 
building  had  been  consumed  and  nothing  but  a 
dull  glow  showed  where  the  old  barn  that  Molly 
had  loved  to  ramble  over  when  a  child,  had  stood. 

"  It  is  gone,"  she  said,  making  a  motion  to 
withdraw  her  hand,  but  Rosco  still  kept  it  on  his 
arm  as  he  led  her  to  the  house. 

"  I  will  go  and  see  that  nothing  else  is  likely 
to  take  fire,  and  come  and  tell  you,"  he  said,  as  he 
opened  the  door  for  her  to  enter. 

"Thank  you,"  she  replied,  simply,  going 
toward  the  fireplace  where  the  embers  still  shone 
in  red  rifts  out  through  the  white  crust  forming 
above  them. 

"  It  is  all  right,"  said  Rosco  cheerily,  return 
ing  in  a  few  minutes  from  his  tour  of  inspection, 
"  the  wood-pile  is  too  far  off  to  catch,  and  every 
thing  else  is  burned.  I'm  thankful  you  and  the 
house  are  left."  Molly  did  not  answer,  and  after 
looking  at  the  girl's  drooping  figure  a  moment  he 


182  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

went  to  her  side  and  put  his  arm  round  her  waist, 
she  did  not  move  away  from  him. 

"  Molly,  I  had  not  meant  to  speak  before  I 
went,  but  I  cannot  help  it — ."  What  else  was  said 
only  the  old  clock  heard,  as  it  ticked  solemnly  on, 
for  the  words  were  spoken  very  low  in  Molly's  ear. 
All  we  know  is  that  half  an  hour  afterward  the 
light  and  color  had  returned  to  her  face,  and  she 
sang  a  bit  of  an  old  song  as  she  banked  up  the 
fire  after  Rosco  Gordon  left  for  the  second  time 
that  night. 


WELDON  JAIL.  183 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

WELDON   JAIL. 

Early  the  next  morning  Rosco  Gordon  rode 
over  to  Frances  Haydock's  to  say  good-by ;  he  sup 
posed  the  soldiers  might  come  for  him  any  time 
during  the  day  and  wanted  to  make  sure  of  an 
uninterrupted  hour  with  Molly  before  the  home 
partings  were  gone  through.  Frances  Haydock 
did  not  seem  to  be  as  much  disturbed  over  the  loss 
of  the  barn  as  her  daughter  had  feared.  When  a 
great  anxiety  fills  one's  life,  smaller  things  make 
no  impression,  and  having  been  spared  the  actual 
sight  of  the  burning,  she  simply  accepted  the  oc 
currence  as  inevitable,  and  not  to  be  thought  of 
again.  Grief  over  the  conscription  of  Rosco  Gor 
don  predominated  in  her  mind  over  any  loss  of 
property. 

"  If  thee  should  see  my  husband,  Rosco,"  she 
said,  holding  in  her  own  the  hand  of  the  young 
friend  who  had  grown  so  near  to  them  in  the  past 
troubled  months,  "  ask  him,  if  possible,  to  make 


184  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

his  way  North.  There  is  surely  no  obligation  on 
him  to  remain  with  troops  bent  on  destroying  the 
Union  to  which  he  is  so  loyal,  and  I  should  feel 
truly  thankful  if  I  knew  he  were  with  our  children 
in  the  Northern  States." 

"  I  will  tell  him  if  I  see  him,  dear  Mrs.  Hay- 
dock,  but  the  chances  are  scarcely  one  in  a  hun 
dred." 

"  I  know,"  she  said  sadly,  "  but  it  might  hap 
pen." 

"  I  hope  it  will,"  he  replied, "  and  now  I  must 
go.  Good-by,"  and  he  raised  the  still  fair  hand  of 
the  Quakeress  to  his  lips,  lovingly,  as  a  son  might 
do.  It  was  an  unusual  salute  for  one  of  these  un 
demonstrative  people  to  receive,  and  it  rather  dis 
turbed  Frances  Hay  dock's  calm  demeanor. 

"  Farewell,"  she  said,  "  and  may  the  Master 
keep  thee  as  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand"  The 
young  man  turned  to  Molly,  "  Will  you  walk 
down  the  lane  with  me  a  little  way,  Miss  Hay- 
dock  ?"  he  asked. 

She  assented  by  taking  up  her  hat,  and  with 
a  hearty  "  Good-by,  old  fellow,  take  good  care  of 
them  all,"  to  John,  the  youth  and  maiden  walked 
slowly  along  the  winding  avenue  through  whose 


WELD  ON  JAIL.  185 


thinning  foliage  the  autumn  sun  shot  many  a 
faint  ray.  John  looked  after  them. 

"  Take  good  care  of  you,  indeed,"  he  said  in 
dignantly,  "  does  he  think  I  won't  do  that  any 
how  ?  I  care  a  heap  more  for  you  all  than  he  does, 
I  reckon ;  don't  I,  mother  ?"  receiving  no  answer 
he  looked  at  his  mother  and  gaining  a  new  intel 
ligence  from  a  rather  surprised,  yet  comprehend 
ing  expression  on  her  countenance,  he  ejaculated 
with  enlightened  understanding, 

"  Oh,  that's  the  matter,  is  it  ?  Maybe  he  does 
care  more  for  Molly  than  I  do  after  all.  I'll  for 
give  him  if  that's  the  case,  for  he  really  will  make 
a  jolly  brother-in-law.  That's  why  he  was  so  extra 
affectionate  to  thee,  wasn't  it.  I  wouldn't  kiss 
people  by  proxy,  though,"  then  another  ray  of 
light  striking  across  his  inexperienced  mind,  he 
suddenly  sat  down  in  the  box  containing  the  pine 
cones,  and  remarked, 

"  Molly,  didn't  seem  to  object  to  walking 
down  the  road  with  him,  so  may  be  all  the  kissing 
won't  be  done  by  proxy  after  all."  His  mother 
could  not  help  laughing  at  the  boy's  comical  as 
tonishment,  and  yet  the  affair  had  taken  her  by 
surprise  also ;  not  that  it  need  have  done  so,  she 


186  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

thought,  as  she  looked  back  over  their  years  of 
intercourse,  and  increased  intimacy  in  these  latter 
months.  She  loved  Rosco  with  a  warm  affection 
and  could  not  regret  the  turn  matters  had  taken. 

"  And  yet,  oh,  that  the  child  may  not  have  to 
suffer,"  was  her  thought,  the  terrible  condition  of 
the  country  being  ever  present  to  her  mind.  Molly 
soon  returned  looking  brighter  than  might  have 
been  expected  after  the  parting,  but  hope  is  strong 
in  young  breasts  and  Rosco  was  sure  he  would  be 
back  before  very  long.  We  may  give  thanks  for 
the  blessing  of  hope;  even  if  unfulfilled,  how 
many  weary  hours  does  it  carry  us  through. 
John  observed  his  sister  critically  as  she  ran  up 
the  porch  steps. 

"Molly,  thee  should  not  walk  so  fast,  thy 
cheeks  are  very  red,  and  thy  hair  is  quite  ravelled 
out,"  was  his  grave  comment. 

"  What  do  boys  know  about  ravellings  ?  The 
wind  blew  my  hair  all  about,"  was  her  answer. 

"There  isn't  any  wind,"  he  replied,  "and 
where  is  thy  hat  ?"  Molly  turned  and  looked  at 
him, 

"  Thee  will  get  turpentine  on  thy  pantaloons 
if  thee  sits  on  those  cones,  and  I  don't  want  to 


WELDON  JAIL.  187 


clean  them,"  returned  his  sister  laughing  as  she 
went  into  the  house. 

"  Where  is  that  hat  ?"  shouted  the  boy  after 
her. 

"  Bless  me,  where  is  it?"  Molly  felt  for  it  at 
her  neck  where  it  often  hung  by  the  strings,  but 
it  was  not  there,  neither  did  it  seem  to  be  on  the 
porch. 

"  Shall  I  look  for  it  at  the  end  of  the  avenue  ?" 
provokingly  whispered  her  brother  over  her  shoul 
der,  as  he  followed  her  into  the  kitchen. 

"  No,  I  will  get  it  myself,"  she  said,  suddenly 
catching  his  curls  in  both  hands  and  shaking  him 
till  he  cried  for  mercy — 

"  Enough,  enough,  oh,  let  me  go,  I  will  never 
say  another  word,  and  will  be  just  as  fond  of  Ros. 
Gordon  as  possible.  Where  has  she  gone  now  ? 
I  thought  that  would  please  her,"  he  exclaimed 
in  an  injured  tone,  for  Molly  had  fled  into  her 
own  room  and  left  him  alone. 

"Well,  girls  are  certainly  curious,"  he  re 
marked  to  himself  as  he  went  into  the  back  shed 
to  inspect  a  squirrel  he  had  lately  picked  up  in 
the  swamp.  It  had  fallen  and  broken  its  leg, 
and,  although  John  had  shot  many  of  these  little 


188  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

animals  for  food,  when  an  injured  one  came  into 
his  hands  he  could  not  help  bringing  it  home  to 
cure  and  tame  it,  both  of  which  processes  it  seemed 
to  appreciate  fully. 

In  following  the  fortunes  of  Rosco  Gordon  we 
will  not  go  into  any  more  detail  than  that  suffi 
cient  to  make  our  readers  understand  the  feeling 
which  animated  these  earnest  supporters  of  the 
Christian  spirit  of  love  and  peace;  a  spirit  too 
long  ignored  by  the  churches  professing  to  uphold 
the  principles  of  Christ  in  every  respect.  Now 
that  the  most  learned  Bishop  of  the  Established 
Church  in  England  has  taken  up  the  standard  of 
Peace,  those  ministers  of  the  Gospel  who  laugh  at 
"Quaker  doctrine"  may  well  look  into  their 
own  hearts  and  see  what  they  are  doing  to  pre 
pare  men  for  the  reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
What  we  would  like  to  show  in  this  story  of 
the  civil  war,  is  that  those  who  walked  in  the 
light  of  Christ's  teachings  willingly  suffered  for 
their  principles,  and  were  not  mistaken  in  their 
trust. 

Rosco  Gordon  was  sent  first  to  Raleigh,  and 
from  thence  to  Weldon,  where  he  was  summoned 
at  once  to  drill,  with  a  warning  of  his  liability  to  be 


WELDON  JAIL.  189 


shot  if  he  declined  to  obey  orders.  He  steadily  re 
fused  to  bear  arms,  and  was  in  consequence  placed 
in  close  confinement  in  a  room  with  three  other 
men  whom  he  found  to  be  prisoners  of  war,  cap 
tured  some  months  before  and  daily  hoping  for 
an  exchange  that  would  send  them  back  to  their 
homes. 

It  did  not  take  Rosco  very  long  to  make  ac 
quaintance  with  his  new  companions. 

"  May  I  ask  what  you  are  here  for  ?"  said  one 
of  the  three  men,  a  young  officer,  to  him  soon 
after  Rosco  had  been  placed  among  them.  "  You 
are  a  Southerner,  I  think  ?" 

"  I  am  a  Southerner,  and  a  Christian ;  and 
believing  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  that  Chris 
tians  should  not  fight,  I  am  here  for  disobedience 
to  the  order  to  bear  arms."  The  officer  looked  at 
him  curiously,  pausing  in  his  slow  walk  up  and 
down  the  room. 

"  Why  do  you  think  Christians  should  not 
fight?"  he  asked,  "I  am  from  Boston  and  have 
seen  a  good  many  people,  but  I  never  met  any  one 
before  who  held  those  views." 

Gordon  smiled  at  the  unconscious  assumption, 
and  replied, 


190  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  I  think  there  are  those  who  hold  these  views 
even  in  Boston." 

"  What  do  you  ground  them  on  ?  Will  you 
tell  me,  if  you  do  not  mind?"  He  stopped  his 
steady  promenade  and  sat  down  on  the  bed  beside 
Gordon.  "  Some  of  the  rest  of  you  gentlemen  can 
take  a  turn  now,  we  can't  all  walk  at  once,  and 
yet  we  do  need  exercise  in  this  cramped  hole." 

"Thank  you,  Warren;  don't  put  your  long 
legs  out  too  far  then,  you're  not  on  the  Harvard 
campus ;  I  don't  want  to  fall  over  you,  and  a  fel 
low  can't  get  around  much  in  this  sized  apart 
ment,"  replied  a  tall  fair-haired  man,  getting  up 
promptly  and  beginning  a  regular  tramp,  tramp, 
over  the  bare  floor.  "  I  was  raised  in  the  west, 
and  these  accomodations  seem  rather  limited." 

"Are  the  houses  in  the  west  bigger  than 
anywhere  else,  Logan  ?"  asked  a  little  black-eyed 
fellow  stretched  on  an  adjoining  bed,  for  chairs 
were  scarce  in  these  quarters. 

"  Judging  from  the  size  of  this,  I  should  say 
they  were.  Oh,  I'd  like  to  have  a  look  at  our  old 
home  again." 

"  Don't  stretch  your  arms  out  that  way,  Lo 
gan  ;  you  will  lift  the  roof  off." 


IVELDON  JAIL.  191 


"  I  wish  I  could  !  Anything  to  get  out  of  this 
weary,  weary  confinement." 

"  Don't  think  about  it,"  said  Lieutenant  War 
ren.  "  Talk  of  something  else,  Mr.  Gordon — I 
think  you  said  that  was  your  name? — will  you 
tell  me  what  your  views  are  and  what  you  found 
them  upon  ?" 

"Certainly,  if  you  care  to  listen;  tell  me 
though  when  you  are  tired." 

"  We  are  tired  all  the  time ;  it  is  only  finding 
a  new  way  of  being  tired  that  refreshes  us,"  re 
plied  Warren,  sitting  up  on  the  bed  and  leaning 
against  the  wall. 

And  now  let  me  say  that  if  the  reader  wishes 
to  skip  a  discussion  the  like  of  which  might  have 
been  heard  many  a  time  and  oft  in  these  little 
prison  rooms,  he  is  entirely  welcome  to  do  so. 

"  Of  course,  if  you  are  willing  to  endanger 
your  life  for  Christ's  teachings,  you  must  believe 
in  the  divine  authority  of  His  words  ?  "  began  the 
lieutenant 

"  That  seems  to  be  a  logical  deduction,"  re 
plied  Gordon,  smiling. 

"  I  am  a  Unitarian,"  was  the  next  rather  ir 
relevant  remark  of  Warren's,  "  I  don't  know  that 


192  THE  HA  YDOCKX   TESTIMONY. 


I  quite  admit  the  authority  of  the  Bible  on  all 
points.  I  certainly  do  not  accept  the  doctrine  of 
the  atonement,  though  I  do  believe  in  God.  It 
seems  to  me  we  must '  work  out  our  own  salvation 
in  fear  and  trembling.' " 

"Do  you  quote  that  as  a  rule  to  live  by?" 
asked  Gordon. 

"  Yes ;  I  think  we  might  take  that  as  one  of 
God's  laws." 

"  Do  you  agree  to  the  verse  immediately  pre 
ceding  it  ?  " 

"  What  is  it  ?     I  don't  remember." 

" '  Remember,'  that's  a  good  one,"  said  the  lit 
tle  black -eyed  fellow,  sotto  voce. 

" '  That  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  God,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,"' 
quoted  Gordon,  taking  no  notice  of  the  remark 
made  by  the  young  fellow  whom  his  comrade 
called  "  Cully." 

"  No,  I  don't  think  we  could  say  that,"  re 
turned  young  Warren. 

"  Will  you  tell  me  how  you  distinguish  be 
tween  the  authority  of  two  verses  in  such  close 
juxtaposition?"  asked  Gordon.  "Would  you,  in 
studying  law,  respect  a  book  in  which  you  would 


WELD  ON  JAIL.  193 

take  one  clause  as  sound  and  throw  over  the  one 
next  to  it  as  a  fanciful  saying  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not,"  said  the  lieutenant. 

"Then  why  should  you  do  it  with  the  Bible  ?  " 

"  There  are  so  many  different  interpretations 
of  the  Bible,  it  would  seem  as  if  God  could  not 
have  inspired  it,"  was  the  lieutenant's  rather  evas 
ive  answer ;  then  he  added,  "  one  of  our  clergymen 
has  said, '  Once  settle  the  undoubted  authenticity 
of  the  Bible,  and  Evangelical  Christianity  is 
proved.' " 

"  Most  people  have  tried  to  settle  it  by  inter 
pretation  instead  of  authentication,  which  is  im 
possible,  I  think.  Only  facts  can  settle  anything, 
and  by  facts  alone  can  the  Bible  be  authenticated." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Warren,  "  that  if  the 
Bible  is  ever  authenticated  it  must  be  in  the  same 
way  that  as  other  documents,  by  something  out 
side  of  itself.  To  prove  the  validity  of  a  docu 
ment  by  its  own  contents  is  like  trying  to  identify 
a  man  by  his  own  testimony." 

"  Kuenen  says,  '  The  Hebrew  religion  is  just 
one  of  the  great  religions  of  the  world,  no  less,  but 
no  more,' "  remarked  Logan,  bringing  his  tall  fig 
ure  to  a  stop  before  the  two  speakers. 

(13) 


194  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

"  Do  you  believe  that,"  asked  Gordon.  "  One 
of  our  famous  New  England  writers  says  the  same 
thing,  but  it  seems  to  me  the  moral  condition  of 
the  countries  professing  the  other  religions  is  an 
swer  enough  to  such  a  statement,  if  the  writers 
are  not  wilfully  blind." 

"  I  didn't  say  I  believed  it,"  said  Logan,  be 
ginning  his  perambulations  again,  "  if  any  other 
fellow  wants  to  walk,  just  let  me  know  and  I'll 
stop." 

"  Thank  you,  it  gives  me  enough  exercise  just 
to  see  you  go,"  remarked  Cully. 

"  Stop  chaffing,  boys,"  said  Lieutenant  War 
ren,  "  I  want  to  hear  Gordon  talk ;  he  seems  to 
know  how,  and  if  he  can  convince  me  the  Bible 
is  what  it  pretends  to  be,  I  shall  be  honestly  glad." 

"  Our  noble  lieutenant  has  spoken,"  replied 
Cully. 

"  I  can  give  you  proofs,  I  think,"  said  Rosco 
Gordon.  "  I  do  not  know  whether  I  can  make  you 
believe ;  a  man  may  be  shown  a  bridge  over  an 
abyss,  but  unless  he  believes  it  will  bear  his  weight 
he  will  never  cross  to  the  other  side." 

"All  right,  show  us  your  bridge,  maybe  it  will 
bear." 


WELDON  JAIL.  195 


"  It  bears  me,"  was  Gordon's  earnest  reply. 

"Aye,  maybe  to  death,"  said  Logan. 

" '  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,' "  said 
Gordon. 

"  Tell  me  why  you  believe  the  Bible,"  asked 
Lieutenant  Warren,  breaking  the  pause  that  fol 
lowed  Gordon's  last  response. 

"  If  a  document  is  authenticated,  it  must  be 
done  by  establishing  its  facts  and  not  by  any  in 
terpretation  of  its  teaching.  All  the  philosophies 
of  men  must  fall  when  they  come  into  conflict 
with  a  single  fact.  How  the  fall  of  an  apple  des 
troyed  the  philosophy  man  had  been  building  for 
years  and  years !  " 

"That's  fair  so  far,  but,  now  for  your  facts," 
said  Warren. 

"In  support  of  what  I  have  been  saying," 
Gordon  went  on,  "  take  an  illustration  near  home. 
The  Declaration  of  Independence,  unsupported  by 
evidence  outside  of  the  instrument  itself,  is  no 
evidence  really  that  on  July  4,  1789,  the  founders 
of  this  republic  adopted  that  instrument.  One 
may  make  the  historical  statement,  but  its  truth 
cannot  be  proved  by  the  instrument  alone.  But 
don't  you  see  that  the  whole  American  nation  is 


196  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY 

witness  to  the  fact  ?  Does  not  our  very  existence, 
our  national  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July,  tho 
perpetuation  of  the  festival  from  generation  to 
generation,  furnish  the  best  possible  proofs  to  the 
fact  that  the  Declaration  was  made  ?" 

"  One  can  but  admit  a  proof  brought  in  that 
way,"  said  Warren. 

"  Now  apply  the  same  reasoning  to  the  writ 
ings  of  Moses.  Are  they  not  the  constitution  and 
statutes  of  a  nation, — a  nation  still  in  existence,, 
preserved  (as  it  was  stated  in  his  time  that  they 
should  be)  in  violation  of  every  known  law  of 
nature  ?  The  Jews  have  been  scattered  all  over 
the  world,  allowed  no  citizenship  for  the  first 
thirteen  hundred  years  of  the  Christian  era; 
neither  were  they  permitted  to  hold  property  for 
that  time;  a  fact  also  foretold.  Their  former 
habits  and  pastoral  occupations  were  broken  up. 
It  was  prophesied  they  should  deal  in  gold  and 
silver  and  costly  apparel.  Look  at  them  now,  still 
engaged  as  money  lenders  and  trading  in  ready- 
made  clothing."  A  smile  passed  over  the  faces 
of  his  hearers,  as  Rosco  Gordon  stopped  a  moment. 

"  The  parallel  is  certainly  an  allowable  one," 
said  Lieutenant  Warren. 


WELD  ON  JAIL.  197 


"And  now,"  Gordon  continued,  "after  two 
thousand  years  of  this  world-wide  dispersion, 
wherever  you  meet  them  you  still  see  them  eating 
the  Feast  of  the  Passover  in  commemoration  of 
their  flight  out  of  Egypt." 

"  How  do  you  know,  however,  that  God  told 
Moses  to  do  the  thing  he  did?"  asked  Warren, 
"  Do  you  suppose  he  told  Moses  how  to  write  the 
Constitution  ?" 

"  I  suppose  He  did,"  was  Gordon's  prompt 
reply,  "  No  other  government  had  ever  been  in 
stituted  like  it ;  the  sole  idea  of  government  at  that 
time  was  kingly.  That  of  Moses  was  a  republic, 
and  that  of  our  own  is  curiously  like  it.  I  believe 
no  other  government  but  his  and  ours  will  allow 
naturalization  of  foreigners ;  they  also  refuse,  as 
we  do,  to  let  an  alien  occupy  the  principal  posi 
tion  in  the  government.  In  the  old  laws  at  New 
Haven  there  is  a  record  '  that  not  having  any 
laws  of  our  own  at  present,  we  will  be  governed 
by  those  of  Moses.'  " 

"  Where  did  you  go  to  college,  Gordon,  may  I 
ask  ?"  said  Warren. 

"  I  had  three  years  at  Yale." 

"  Well,  I  did  not  mean  to  interrupt  you.     Do 


198  THE  HA  YDOCKS>   TESTIMONY. 

you  think  human  testimony  could  establish  the 
facts  that  Moses  really  did  the  wonderful  acts  re 
corded  of  him  ?" 

"  If  human  testimony  can  be  taken  at  all  as 
evidence,  I  should  suppose  it  did  evince  it  here. 
A  whole  nation  gave  evidence,  set  up  monuments, 
and  better  than  all  perhaps,  has  involuntarily 
carried  out  the  prophesies  made  concerning  it. 
But  I  cannot  tell  you  half  the  evidences,  study  it 
for  yourself." 

"  I  will,"  said  Lieutenant  Warren,  "  if  ever  I 
get  out  of  this  den.  Such  experiences  as  one  has 
in  war,  makes  a  man  want  to  know  what  his  faith 
in  a  future  existence  is  founded  on." 

"Have  you  ever  read  the  Bible  through, 
Lieutenant?"  asked  Logan,  who  had  ceased  his 
walk  and  stretched  himself  out  on  his  bed. 

"  No,  I  can't  say  I  have." 

"  Better  begin  now ;  I  dare  say  Gordon  has 
one,"  suggested  Cully. 

"  If  it  would  make  me  as  happy  as  he  looks 
I  don't  know  but  what  I  would,"  responded  the 
lieutenant 

"Moses*  laws  are  essentially  in  advance  of 
some  of  ours,"  said  Gordon,  going  back  to  his 


WELD  ON  JAIL.  199 


subject.  "  Blackstone  says  that '  some  of  our  laws 
are  still  pagan.' " 

"  But  why  do  people  interpret  the  Bible  so 
differently?  It  seems  to  me  to  invalidate  its 
testimony,"  said  Warren. 

"  Do  you  think  the  American  Constitution  is 
invalidated  because  the  North  and  South  gave  it 
different  interpretations?"  asked  Gordon, 

"  No  indeed,"  exclaimed  Warren,  "  the  grand 
old  government  is  as  good  as  ever." 

"  Yet  the  Southerners,  many  of  them,  hon 
estly  believe  they  have  the  right,  under  its  laws, 
to  secede ;  they  have  interpreted  the  writings  dif 
ferently,"  replied  Gordon. 

"  And  made  an  awful  lot  of  trouble,"  said 
Logan. 

"So  has  the  other,"  said  Gordon,  "and  the 
trouble  is  not  nearly  over  yet." 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  resurrection  of 
Christ?  Of  course  if  He  rose,  He  must  be  more 
than  a  man,"  asked  Warren,  starting  a  new  sub 
ject  of  discussion. 

"  There  is  the  evidence  of  twelve  men  to  rest 
it  upon,  eleven  of  whom  were  his  bosom  friends, 
and  all  but  one  died  in  the  attestation  of  the  Di 
vinity  of  Christ  and  His  resurrection." 


200  THE  HAYDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

"  They  had  been  taught  to  look  for  His  resur 
rection  ;  might  they  not  have  been  deceived  ?" 
suggested  the  lieutenant. 

"  On  the  contrary,  they  really  looked  for  it  so 
little,  that  it  was  hard  to  make  them  believe  it  at 
all  when  He  did  rise.  They  had  not  taken  His 
words  as  really  meaning  anything,  did  not  really 
believe  Him  as  much  as  the  old  officials  did  who 
set  a  seal  upon  the  tomb.  The  apostles  gave  up 
the  whole  thing  when  He  died  and  went  away 
sorrowfully,  saying :  '  We  trusted  that  it  had  been 
He  which  should  have  redeemed  Israel.'  That 
He  was  not  in  the  tomb  when  Mary  went  there, 
the  guard  of  a  hundred  soldiers  testified,  and  were 
bribed  to  hold  their  tongues.  They  believed  He 
had  risen.  What  other  fact  so  testified  to  would 
not  be  accepted  by  the  whole  world  ?  " 

"  When  a  new  hieroglyphic  was  found  in 
Assyria  some  years  ago,"  remarked  Logan,  "  four 
men  were  set  to  decipher  it,  and  when  they  had 
all  given  translations  that  agreed  with  one  another 
it  was  taken  to  be  the  right  thing.  By  such  testi 
mony  are  facts  taken." 

"  Men  often  die  for  their  opinions,"  said  War- 
*  ren,  following  out  his  own  thoughts. 


I 


WEL  D  ON  JAIL.  201 


"  The  apostles  had  no  opinion  about  it ;  they 
did  not  testify  to  an  opinion,  but  to  a  fact,"  re 
plied  Gordon. 

"  Certainly  to  a  belief  that  it  was  a  fact,"  re 
plied  the  lieutenant.  Gordon  went  on,  bringing 
up  another  point  as  testimony. 

"  What  country  has  ever  advanced  to  such 
civilization  as  those  holding  the  Christian  relig 
ion?  The  Chinese  discovered  gunpowder  and 
have  never  used  it  except  in  firecrackers;  they 
discovered  the  magnet,  and  never  has  a  junk  of 
theirs  crossed  the  sea  unless  it  was  towed  by  a 
Christian  ship.  For  two  thousand' years,  except  a 
country  has  had  Christianity  introduced  into  it, 
no  progress  has  been  made.  And  even  those  who 
deny  Christ  in  Christian  lands,  live  so  in  the  light 
reflected  from  His  teachings  that  they  catch  a 
good  deal  of  it  and  think  it  comes  from  them 
selves." 

"  Some  people  say  that  man  is  God's  revela 
tion,"  remarked  Warren,  half  to  himself. 

"And  this  revelation  has  produced  but  one 
perfect  man  in  eighteen  hundred  years,  according 
to  their  own  showing." 

"  Then  you  don't  think  God  will  accept  us  for 


202  THE  HA  YDOCKS*    TESTIMONY. 

our  own  good  intentions,  and  our  efforts  to  do 
right?"  querried  Warren. 

"  It  makes  very  little  difference  what  I  think," 
replied  Gordon,  "it  is  what  the  Bible  teaches, 
and  if  you  can  show  me  that  the  preponderance 
of  its  testimony  is  to  that  effect,  I  shall  be  sur 
prised.  Salvation  is  everywhere  spoken  of  in  the 
Bible  as  a  '  gift,'  something  that  cannot  be  earned. 
'The  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life/  'not  as  was 
the  offence,  so  is  also  the  free  gift'  and  so  on  all 
through." 

"'Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  His  mercy  He  saved 
us,'  and  again, '  for  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through 
faith,  not  of  works  lest  any  man  should  boast,' " 
came  in  Logan's  voice  from  the  other  side  of  the 
room ;  Cully  sat  up. 

"Are  you  a  preacher  ?  Often  been  on  a  cir 
cuit  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  might  be  a  better  man  than  I  am  if  that 
had  been  my  profession,"  was  the  calm  response, 
"  Go  on,  Gordon,  tell  us  some  more." 

The  whole  New  Testament  is  tuned  to  the 
key  of  redemption,  and  if  a  man  can  gain  his  own 
immunity  from  sin  he  needs  no  redemption." 


WELDON  JAIL.  203 


"  Don't  you  think  the  world  is  growing  bet 
ter  ?  "  asked  Lieutenant  Warren. 

"I  certainly  do  think  it  is  in  many  ways; 
never  at  any  time  have  there  been  as  many  edu 
cational  advantages,  never  as  many  sensible  ways 
of  ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  lower  classes. 
Men  of  culture  and  intellect  spend  large  portions 
of  their  time  in  finding  out  how  best  to  deal  with 
social  problems,  and  living  in  the  radiance  of  a 
Christian  civilization  they  forget  where  the  light 
comes  from.  They  think  that  it  comes  from  a  high 
cultivation,  but  its  true  sources  of  life  are  obscured 
and  forgotten  if  not  dead  in  them.  There  is  in 
South  America  a  beautiful  moss  that  fastens  itself 
upon  a  live,  vigorous  tree,  gradually  covering  it 
with  an  exquisite  velvety  green  growth,  but  by  the 
time  the  tree  is  enveloped  in  this  moss  the  chance 
of  a  better  life  is  gone,  for  the  tree  is  practically 
dead.  The  name  of  this  moss  is  '  Matabe,'  mean 
ing  murder." 

"  You  don't  despise  culture  ?  "  asked  Warren. 

"No,  no,  indeed;  don't  misunderstand  me 
that  way.  We  need  all  we  can  get ;  every  faculty 
we  have  ought  to  be  brought  to  its  highest  per 
fection  ;  all  the  beauty  we  can  gather  around  us, 


204  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

all  the  grace  and  charm  we  can  exert,  the  Master 
wants  us  to  use  it  all  in  bringing  souls  into  His 
kingdom.  When  we  meet  Him  we  do  not  want 
to  enter  His  presence  empty  handed;  don't  we 
always  want  to  take  something  to  one  we  love  ? 
His  work  is  going  to  be  done  in  the  world,  it  is 
surely  our  loss  if  we  are  left  out." 

"  I  believe  in  appealing  to  a  man's  sense  of 
self-respect  to  induce  him  to  act  rightly,"  said  the 
lieutenant. 

"  So  do  I,  when  he  has  any.  Do  you  remem 
ber  where  Hawthorne  makes  one  of  his  characters 
say  almost  precisely  what  you  have  just  said? 
And  the  answer  given  to  this  man  of  the  moral- 
reform  hobby  is,  'just  wait  till  you  have  committed 
some  great  crime  and  see  what  a  condition  your 
moral  perceptions  are  in.'  But  I  have  talked  too 
long  and  very  likely  made  you  wish  you  had  not 
started  me.  Logan,  sing  us  a  song,  won't  you  ?  " 

"  What  will  you  have  ?  "  responded  the  big 
Westerner.  "  I'd  rather  hear  you  talk." 

" '  Tramp,  tramp,  tramp,  the  boys  are  march 
ing,'"  suggested  Cully. 

"  Not  that,"  interfered  Warren,  "  it  partakes 
too  much  of  a  satire." 


WELDON  JAIL.  205 


"All  right;  then  'Good-night,  farewell,  my 
own  sweetheart/  or  '  The  girl  I  left  behind  me,» 
ah,  that  touches  Gordon  ! "  continued  Cully,  quick 
to  see  the  shade  that  darkened  the  bright  hazel 
eye  of  the  young  Southerner,  "  Cheer  up  old  fel 
low,  you'll  see  her  again." 

"  Don't  tease,  Cully,"  said  Warren,  "  there 
comes  the  stuff  they  call  supper." 


206  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

UNDER    FIRE. 

The  next  morning,  just  before  the  hour  for 
drill,  two  soldiers  entered  the  room  where  Gordon 
was  lodged  with  his  three  friends,  for  by  this  time 
they  merited  that  name,  and  briefly  saying :  "  You 
are  wanted,"  signified  to  Gordon  that  he  was  to  go 
with  them.  His  three  companions  glanced  at 
each  other  apprehensively ;  Rosco  rose  to  his  feet 
and  shaking  hands  with  them,  simply  said : 

"  Good-by,  fellows,  I  may  see  you  all  again, 
and — I  may  not." 

They  remained  silent  a  moment  looking  at 
the  door  which  closed  upon  him  and  then  Cully, 
as  usual,  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  they  mean  to  do  with 
him  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Make  him  drill,  and  if  he  refuses,  shoot 
him,"  was  Logan's  rather  grim  reply. 

"  They  won't  make  him  drill,"  said  Warren. 


UNDER  FIRE.  207 


"  I  never  saw  a  face  in  which  so  much  sweetness 
and  determination  were  combined." 

"  Look,  look,  there  he  is !  "  exclaimed  Cully, 
from  the  little  window  where  he  had  stationed 
himself,  they  could  overlook  the  parade-ground, 
though  from  too  great  a  distance  to  hear  easily 
what  was  going  on.  There  stood  the  soldiers,  in 
faded  gray  uniforms,  formed  in  line  ready  for  the 
morning's  exercise.  Gordon  stood  a  little  in  front 
of  the  line  opposite  the  captain,  a  big,  burly  Ger 
man,  much  rougher  than  a  native-born  Southerner 
would  have  been.  Warren,  Logan  and  Cully, 
watching  with  strained  attention  from  their  win 
dow,  saw  the  captain  hold  out  a  musket  to  Gordon, 
apparently  ordering  him  to  take  it.  Gordon  made 
no  motion  to  obey,  evidently  from  his  gesture  of 
dissent  he  was  refusing. 

"Oh,  why  won't  he  take  it?"  exclaimed 
Cully,  "  what  a  fool  he  is." 

"  He  is  no  fool,  nor  a  muff  either,"  said  Logan. 

"  His  favorite  Hawthorne  says,  '  The  greatest 
obstacle  to  being  heroic  is  the  doubt  whether  one 
may  not  be  going  to  prove  one's  self  a  fool ;  the 
truest  heroism  is  to  resist  that  doubt '  Gordon  has 
passed  the  doubting  period,"  said  Warren,  looking 


208  THE  HA  YD  OCXS'   TESTIMONY. 

out  across  the  bare  field  at  the  troops,  "  he  is  more 
of  a  hero  than  any  man  I  ever  met,  and  I  can  do 
nothing  to  help  him  in  this  emergency,"  the  last 
words  escaping  him  almost  like  an  unconscious 
moan  as  he  turned  from  the  window  and  restlessly 
paced  up  and  down  the  room. 

"  Oh,  Warren,  they  have  tied  his  arms  behind 
him  and  stood  him  by  himself,"  cried  Cully  again, 

"  Confound  them  all,"  ejaculated  Logan,  leav 
ing  the  window  and  then  going  back,  sickened  by 
the  apprehension  of  seeing  a  murder  and  yet  too 
facinated  to  stay  away.  Erect  and  graceful  stood 
the  slight  young  figure ;  no  sign  of  fear  or  shrink 
ing  did  they  see,  no  movement  even  when  the  six 
men  were  called  out  from  the  ranks  and  ordered 
to  level  their  rifles  at  him,  only  a  look  upward 
and  apparently  a  motion  of  the  lips,  but  the  men. 
did  not  fire ;  after  an  instant's  hesitation  every  one 
let  the  muzzle  of  his  weapon  fall  to  the  ground. 
The  captain  stamped  and  with  angry  gesture  or 
dered  them  again  to  fire  on  the  solitary  figure  with 
its  indefinable  attitude  of  waiting.  Cully  covered 
his  face  and  shivered,  listening  for  the  shots. 

"  Why  don't  they  fire,"  he  exclaimed,  "  it  is- 
horrible." 


UNDER  FIRE.  209 


"By  jove,  they  won't!"  exclaimed  Logan,  as 
again  the  Southern  soldiers  lowered  their  muskets 
and  stood  still.  The  captain  in  a  rage  pulled  out 
his  pistol  and  aimed  it  at  one  of  the  six  men,  it 
missed  fire  and  he  flung  it  on  the  ground,  com 
manding  them  to  shoot  in  so  furious  a  voice  that 
the  angry  tones  reached  the  ears  of  our  three 
watching  friends.  Two  of  the  men  raised  their 
rifles  for  the  third  time,  but  suddenly  threw  them 
down  and  turning  rejoined  the  ranks,  followed  by 
the  other  four  men.  An  irrepressible  cheer  broke 
from  the  little  window  where  the  three  Northerners 
stood  and  Gordon  turned  his  head  in  their  direc 
tion,  evidently  recognizing  the  sympathy  ex 
pressed.  Two  soldiers  then  went  up  and  led  Gor 
don  away  to  the  rear  of  the  barracks,  and  the  cap 
tain  sulkingly  gave  orders  to  go  on  with  the  drill. 

"  He'll  see  the  girl  he  left  behind  him,  yet," 
exclaimed  Cully,  cutting  a  pigeon  wing.  "  It  is 
lucky  our  guard  has  gone  to  breakfast,  or  they'd 
make  us  pay  for  our  hurrah." 

"  Be  still,  Cully,  how  you  do  go  on !"  said 
Warren,  who  could  not  as  easily  throw  off  the 
feeling  of  horror  at  the  scene  he  had  just  wit 
nessed. 

(14) 


210  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

"  He  is  safe  this  time,  but  we  do  not  know 
what  will  happen  next." 

"  The  Master  he  serves  is  no  weak  one,"  said 
Logan's  deliberate  voice ;  "  '  he  is  abundantly  able 
to  save.' " 

"And  Gordon  seems  to  trust  Him  entirely. 
Seeing  such  faith  as  his ;  believing,  yet  not  igno 
rant,  or  perhaps  believing  because  not  igno 
rant,  is  more  convincing  than  all  the  theories  or 
arguments  in  the  world,"  and  Warren  resumed 
his  thoughtful  walk  up  and  down  his  narrow 
quarters. 

None  of  the  three  ever  saw  Rosco  Gordon 
again  for  he  was  kept  in  separate  confinement  till 
sent  to  another  regiment.  So  our  lives  meet,  and 
run  beside  each  other  a  little  space,  and  separate 
again ;  and  whether  we  have  used  our  opportuni 
ties  for  good  or  evil  may  never  be  known  on  this 
side  of  Heaven. 

Instances  of  the  kind  related  in  these  chapters 
occurred  over  and  over  again  in  the  experience 
of  Friends  during  the  war.  The  men  refused  to 
carry  out  the  orders  of  their  captains,  saying  they 
could  not  shoot  or  maltreat  such  unresisting  men 
as  these  Quakers,  who  would  uphold  their  princi- 


UNDER  FIRE.  211 


pies  even  unto  giving  up  of  life.  The  officers 
would  not  perpetrate  cruelties  themselves  which 
yet  they  ordered  their  men  to  inflict,  and  though 
at  times  some  Friends  did  suffer,  yet  they  were 
marvellously  preserved.  But  why  do  we  say  '  mar 
vellously  ?'  For  has  He  not  promised  ?  And  is 
He  not  able  to  perform?  Others  were  shot  for 
disobedience  to  orders,  but  no  Quaker  lost  his  life. 
Not  knowing  what  to  do  with  these  men  who  con 
scientiously  refused  to  obey  orders,  the  officers 
were  glad  to  transfer  them  from  regiment  to  regi 
ment,  preferring  to  put  the  responsibility  on  some 
one  else,  who  in  his  turn  would  pass  it  on  again.  In 
this  way  it  happened  that  Rosco  Gordon  was  sent 
to  the  regiment  to  which  James  Haydock  had 
been  ordered  when  he  was  taken  away  from 
Petersburg,  soon  after  the  events  described  in  our 
previous  chapters. 

It  was  on  the  eve  of  a  battle  that  Rosco  ar 
rived  in  camp  with  the  fresh  reinforcements  sent 
to  strengthen  the  Southern  army  against  the 
Northern  battalions,  now  closing  in  fast  around 
them.  A  few  months  more  would  see  the  end  of 
the  long  struggle.  Rosco  had  been  left  very  much 
to  himself  since  we  saw  him  last,  as  the  colonel 


212  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

of  his  regiment  was  too  busy  to  attend  to  him,  and 
besides  he  did  not  care  to  come  into  conflict  with 
the  willing,  active  young  fellow  who  was  always 
ready  to  do  a  good  turn  for  every  one.  The  morn 
ing  after  he  arrived  in  camp,  a  soldier  he  knew 
called  to  him. 

"  Rec'on  there's  one  of  your  kind  in  that  tent 
there.  I  was  loafing  round  last  night,  and  caught 
sight  of  him." 

Gordon  immediately  weni  to  the  tent  indi 
cated.  He  saw  a  tall  figure  lying  on  a  blanket 
and  approached  with  a  pleasant  "  Good-morn- 
ing." 

"  Rosco  Gordon,  surely,"  was  the  quick  excla 
mation  as  James  Haydock  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Haydock,  how  glad,  how  very  gladr 
I  am  to  see  you ;  how  I  have  hoped  to  find  you," 
the  older  man  was  holding  his  hand  and  gazing 
intently  at  him. 

"  They  are  all  well  at  home,"  went  on  Roscor 
seeing  he  could  not  speak.  "  Sit  down,  Mr.  Hay- 
dock,  you  do  not  look  well ;  you  have  had  a  weary 
time  of  it,  haven't  you  ?" 

"  It  has  been  hard  to  bear  at  times,  but  the 
Lord  has  never  forsaken,  and  many  a  time  has 


UNDER  FIRE.  213 


enabled  me  to  be  of  use  to  others.  How  did  thee 
get  here,  and  not  in  uniform  ?" 

"  I  am  here  for  the  same  reasons  you  are,  Mr. 
Haydock,  and  on  account  of  those  reasons  do  not 
bear  arms,"  said  the  young  man,  smiling. 

"What  about  thy  father?  Does  he  think 
with  thee  ?"  asked  James  Haydock,  with  no  evi 
dence  of  surprise. 

"  Oh,  he  does  not  agree  with  me  entirely  and 
is  making  every  effort  to  raise  the  wherewithal  for 
the  Exemption  tax.  I  objected,  but  of  course  I 
cannot  control  his  actions.  Poor  father,  it  was 
very  hard  to  leave  him  and  harder  to  know  how 
he  felt  about  not  having  money  enough  to  pay 
the  tax." 

"  Thee  said  all  my  family  were  well  and  not 
suffering  ?"  James  Haydock  asked,  his  thoughts 
returning  to  those  he  loved  best. 

"  All  well,  and  with  enough  to  eat  and  to 
wear ;  John  as  merry  as  a  cricket ;  Mrs.  Haydock 
naturally  very  anxious  about  you,  but  keeping  up 
a  brave  heart.  I  wish  you  were  with  her,"  he 
added,  noting  how  much  grayer  the  dark  hair 
had  become,  how  thin  the  brown  cheek  was,  and 
how  deep  the  hollows  about  the  dark  blue  eyes. 


214  THE  HA  YDOCKS*    TESTIMONY, 

A  sudden  fear  took  possession  of  him  that  the  hard 
life  was  telling  sorely  on  the  strength  of  James 
Haydock,  and  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  bear 
it  much  longer.  "  Oh,  if  he  can  only  live  to  get 
home !"  was  the  prayer  that  rose  in  his  heart. 

"  I  wish  so  indeed,"  said  James  Haydock,  in 
answer  to  Rosco's  last  remark. 

"  Mr.  Haydock,  why  don't  you  go  North,  if 
you  can  get  through  ?"  asked  Gordon. 

"  Run  away,"  queried  the  older  man. 

"  There  is  no  running  away  about  it,"  said 
Gordon.  "  You  believe  in  and  uphold  the  Union ; 
you  are  with  troops  who  don't  think  as  you  do, 
and  why  are  you  bound  to  stay  with  what  you 
consider  the  wrong  side?  Your  health  is  failing ; 
are  you  doing  any  good  to  your  country  staying 
here  ?  Will  you  not  do  more  in  saving  yourself 
to  build  up  the  country  after  the  war  is  over  ?" 

"  I  have  thought  that  perhaps  my  time  with 
the  army  was  over,"  replied  James  Haydock. 
"  But  I  do  not  like  going  to  live  in  quiet  in  the 
North,  while  my  family  is  suffering  privation  in 
the  old  home." 

"  Your  family  would  be  only  too  glad  to  know 
you  were  safe ;  it  would  take  away  their  heaviest 


UNDER  FIRE.  215 


burden,"  and  he  told  him  of  what  Frances  Hay- 
dock  had  said,  adding  "  no  man  is  bound  to  throw 
his  life  away  unless  the  Lord  clearly  shows  it  is 
His  will.  Do  you  think  He  wants  you  to  stay 
here  yet  ?" 

"  No,  I  do  not ;  there  has  been  lately  a 
pointing  in  the  other  direction.  If  I  could  get  to 
the  North  and  send  down  supplies  for  those  suffer 
ing  at  home,  I  believe  it  would  be  right  to  do  so." 
He  sat  in  deep  thought  which  Rosco  did  not  dis 
turb,  knowing  how  the  Quakers  trusted  to  the 
leading  of  the  Spirit,  and  how  careful  they  were 
to  do  nothing  important  unless  they  felt  that 
same  guidance. 

Outside,  in  the  camp  all  was  bustle  and  con 
fusion  ;  in  one  little  tent  there  was  silence  and  an 
earnest  seeking  for  God's  leading.  Upon  this 
silence  broke  the  heavy  sound  of  cannon,  fol 
lowed  by  the  scream  and  bursting  of  shells ;  the 
battle  had  begun.  Presently  a  corporal  looked 
into  their  tent,  saying, 

"  Every  man  to  his  company ;  if  you  don't  go 
I'll  have  you  sent  for,  shortly,"  and  he  disap 
peared.  Four  other  soldiers  came  in  a  few  min 
utes  and  our  friends  were  separated  anc[  placed  in 


216  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 

different  parts  of  the  field.  From  his  place  near 
the  front  Rosco  Gordon  saw  through  the  smoke 
and  cloud  of  the  conflict,  a  tall  figure  which  he 
at  once  recognized,  walk  deliberately  out  from  the 
Confederate  ranks  and  quietly  cross  the  field  amid 
the  rain  of  bullets.  Gordon  held  his  breath,  his 
heart  one  prayer  to  God.  A  momentary  cessation 
seemed  to  come  in  the  quick  volleys,  and  before 
they  began  again  the  familiar  form  had  reached 
unhurt  the  Federal  side,  passed  to  the  rear  of  the 
crowding  troops,  and  Rosco  Gordon  knew  that 
James  Hay  dock  was  in  all  human  probability  be 
yond  the  reach  of  further  danger. 

But  the  Quakers  were  misunderstood  in  some 
parts  of  the  north  as  well  as  in  the  south,  and 
James  Haydock  was  sent  to  Fort  Delaware  as 
prisoner  of  war.  He  was  detained  there  some 
time  till  the  authorities  in  Washington  were  noti 
fied  of  his  imprisonment,  when  he  was  promptly 
released  and  allowed  to  join  his  children  in  Phila 
delphia,  some  of  whom  had  already  gone  to  Nor 
folk  to  obtain  tidings  from  their  parents,  or  if 
possible  to  get  through  the  lines  to  aid  them. 
This  was  not  practicable,  however,  until  after 
9  Richmond  had  fallen. 


J 


JINGO.  217 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

JINGO. 

More  monotonous  now  than  ever  were  the 
days  to  Molly  and  her  mother.  Mr.  Gordon 
brought  them  word  that  his  wife  was  very  ill, 
seeming  to  have  prolonged  spells  of  weakness 
which  were  hard  to  relieve. 

"  She  worries  after  Rosco  all  the  time,  we  do 
miss  him  so  much,"  he  said  one  day.  "Miss 
Molly,  you  miss  his  help  too,  don't  you  ?  Have 
you  plenty  of  wood  ?  There  always  seems  to  be  a 
fire  here." 

"  Yes,  thank  you,  we  have  a  good  supply  of 
wood  Father  always  kept  some  piled  up  to  dry, 
and  then  for  small  wood  and  cones,  John  and  I  go 
to  the  swamp,  where  there  are  quantities." 

"  Is  it  not  a  good  way  to  go  ?  "  asked  the  old 
gentleman,  laying  his  hand  on  the  girl's  head. 

"  Oh  no,  I  like  the  walk  and  it  keeps  me  busy ; 
it  is  not  good  to  stay  at  home  and  think  too  much." 


218  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

"No,  that  it  is  not ;  but  think  about  Rosco, 
won't  you,  and  pray  he  may  get  home  safely,"  he 
said  wistfully,  "  I  have  a  deal  of  faith  in  your  and 
your  mother's  prayers." 

"  That  is  not  a  hard  thing  to  do,  Mr.  Gordon," 
said  Molly  softly,  a  faint  blush  stealing  over  her 
cheek ;  he  smiled  at  her,  having  some  understand 
ing  of  how  matters  were  and  yet  not  knowing 
quite  what  had  passed  between  "  the  young  folks." 
But  the  smile  was  rather  sad,  and  faded  away  en 
tirely  as  he  turned  to  Frances  Haydock 

"  Could  you  come  over  and  spend  the  night 
with  Mrs.  Gordon,  do  you  think  ?  It  is  a  good 
deal  to  ask,  I  know,  Mrs.  Haydock,  but  you  do 
seem  to  comfort  her  so  much  and  she  longs  for  a 
woman  about.  Rosco  was  just  like  a  daughter  in 
some  ways,  and  yet  a  fine  manly  fellow  too." 

"  Molly,  would  thee  be  afraid  to  stay  alone 
with  John,"  said  Frances  Haydock,  turning  to  her 
daughter. 

"  No,  indeed,  mother,  no  one  will  hurt  us  and 
there  is  certainly  nothing  to  attract  burglars." 

"  I  think  I  might  leave  them,  and  if  it  is  any 
comfort  to  thy  dear  wife,  I  am  more  than  willing 
to  go." 


JINGO.  219 

"Can  you  ride  pillion,  madam?  I  might 
have  brought  the  buggy,  but  it  is  so  rickety.  My 
horse  is  quiet  enough,  he  doesn't  get  any  corn 
now-a-days,  poor  fellow,  to  frisk  on." 

"  I  have  ridden  double  before,"  said  Frances 
Haydock,  smiling  a  little  as  the  recollection  of 
her  early  days  came  back  to  her  mind.  So  Mr. 
Gordon  carried  the  sweet-faced  Quakeress  slowly 
on  his  horse  along  the  avenue,  and  many  a  visit 
did  she  make  afterward  in  like  manner,  taking 
comfort  and  peace  to  the  weary  heart  of  poor  Mrs. 
Gordon. 

"  Molly,  come  take  a  walk,  I  want  something 
to  do,  and  the  squirrel  will  do  nothing  but  sleep," 
said  John. 

"  He  is  making  up  for  last  night,"  replied 
Molly,  "  He  raced  up  and  down  the  old  clock  and 
dropped  chestnuts  about  till  I  thought  he  would 
never  grow  tired.  I  swept  up  a  regular  little  heap 
of  the  shells  this  morning." 

"  The  carvings  on  the  clock  make  a  good  lad 
der  for  him.  Did  thee  see  what  a  jolly  little  nest 
he  has  made  on  the  top  of  the  clock  between  those 
two  clover  leaf  things  that  curve  over  toward 
each  other  ?  " 


220  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

11  No,  has  he  ?  "  said  Molly  looking  up  at  the 
dark  scroll-work  surmounting  the  broad-faced 
moon  that  kept  smiling  watch  over  the  slow  tick 
ing  hours.  "  It  is  fortunate  our  clock  winds  at 
the  back  instead  of  the  top,  as  many  do." 

"  Yes,"  said  John,  "  bunny  might  interfere 
with  the  works  in  that  case." 

"  Let  us  take  thy  wagon  and  bring  home  some 
light  wood ;  ours  is  giving  out."  John  had  con 
cocted  a  marvellous  wagon  some  three  feet  long 
and  two  wide,  and  set  it  on  four  still  more  re 
markable  wheels,  whose  broad  tires  were  planned 
with  a  view  to  easy  going  over  the  sandy  roads. 
It  held  quite  a  quantity  of  cones  or  bits  of  light 
wood,  and  was  much  less  fatiguing  than  a  bag 
slung  over  the  shoulder.  Molly  crossed  a  red 
cashmere  shawl  over  her  breast,  knotting  it  be 
hind,  and  covering  her  dusky  hair  with  a  blue 
riding  cap,  pronounced  herself  ready  for  a  tramp. 

"  Did  thee  find  that  red  thing  in  the  chest  up 
stairs  ?  "  asked  her  brother,  surveying  her  approv 
ingly.  "Thee  looks  like  a  vivandiere;"  and  in 
truth  the  dark  blue  and  red  suited  Molly's  hair 
and  eyes  remarkably  well.  A  keen  November 
wind  was  blowing  as  they  walked  rapidly  along 


JINGO.  221 

the  road  to  the  swamp,  and  Molly's  cheeks  were 
as  rosy  as  her  brother's  when  they  reached  the 
spot,  quite  a  mile  in  from  the  entrance  to  the 
tangled  morass,  where  they  found  the  light  wood 
in  greatest  abundance. 

In  some  of  the  many  marches  of  the  different 
armies  through  this  region,  fires  had  been  kindled, 
and  large  tracts  of  timber  burnt  along  the  road  ,* 
the  blackened  tree-trunks,  rising  dismally  from 
the  cinder-covered  ground,  gave  a  look  of  indes 
cribable  dreariness  to  the  scene.  The  fire  which 
swept  over  this  desolate  country  had,  however,  left 
the  cypress  boles  untouched,  and  they  gleamed 
like  white  spectres  amid  the  blasted  vegetation 
that  stretched  as  far  as  eye  could  reach. 

The  days  were  growing  frosty.  A  glaze  of 
ice  was  even  now  forming  upon  many  of  the  little 
pools,  shooting  clear  needle-like  crystals  over  the 
motionless  black  water.  All  the  summer  birds 
had  gone  south,  and  nothing  stirred  in  the  swamp 
except  a  black  turkey-buzzard  slowly  flapping 
its  way  along  the  canal.  It  perched  on  a 
crooked  tree  not  far  from  where  Molly  and  John 
stood  and  watched  them  askance.  Molly  shud 
dered. 


222  THE  HA  YDOCKS?    TESTIMONY. 

"Come  John,  hurry  and  fill  the  wagon,  I 
don't  like  this  place,  it  is  lonely." 

"  It  is  not  remarkably  cheerful,"  answered  her 
brother,  "  especially  on  a  cloudy  afternoon."  He 
went  quickly  to  work  with  his  sister  and  they 
soon  filled  the  little  wagon  to  overflowing. 

"Now  that's  enough.  Hey,  oh  look,  there 
comes  some  darkies,  or  rather  they  don't  come, 
they  are  standing  still,  let's  go  and  see  what  is  the 
matter  ?  "  said  John.  The  group  of  negroes  indi 
cated  were  gathered  around  some  object  that  lay 
on  the  ground  a  few  yards  distant.  On  going 
nearer,  Molly  saw  that  a  little  boy  about  ten  years 
old  was  stretched  along  the  roadside  seemingly  too 
weak  to  go  any  further ;  the  older  ones  regarded 
him  with  much  perplexity. 

"  Is  he  sick  ?  "  asked  John,  addressing  an  old 
man  whose  shaggy  gray  brows  almost  hid  the  lit 
tle  black  eyes  beneath  them. 

"  Yes  sah,  he  be  bery  sick,  an'  what  to  do  fo' 
it,  sah,  is  pas'  my  compre'nsion.  Spec'  sum  'un 
ought'er  tote  'im,  but  it  ain't  bery  easy  fur  to  do 
dat,  an'  none  on  us  air  mighty  strong  now."  He 
shivered  in  the  cool  wind. 

John  did  not  think  they  were  very  strong,  in- 


JINGO.  223 

deed;  three  women,  this  old  man  and  the  boy 
formed  the  little  party  going  to  "  de  Norf,"  as  they 
said. 

"  Who  does  he  belong  to  ?  "  asked  Molly. 

"  Don't  'long  to  nobody,  missus;  bofe  his  fader 
an'  modder  lef  'im  mo'  dan  a  year  back,"  replied 
one  of  the  women,  "  an'  I  tuk  care  on  'im,  an'  'e 
was  allers  a  'bliging  little  pickaninny,  dat  I  will 
say  fo'  'im,  but  I  tink  'e  dun  fo'  now." 

"  He's  dun  walked  'long  right  bravely,"  said 
the  old  man,  speaking  again,  "  but  de  fever's  tuk 
'im  an  I  reckon  'e's  a  dyin'."  The  little  fellow  lay 
quietly,  only  putting  one  thin  hand  under  his 
pinched  cheek  as  if  the  road  felt  hard ;  the  pecul 
iar  ashy  gray  tint  that  comes  to  a  sick  negro  had 
spread  over  his  small  visage  and  the  black  eyes 
looked  dull ;  he  showed  no  wish  to  move,  except 
when  the  buzzard  flapped  its  wings  once  or  twice, 
as  if  intending  flight,  and  then  settled  down  again 
on  its  black  perch.  A  look  of  apprehension  crept 
into  the  boy's  eyes  as  he  saw  the  ugly  bird  and  he 
tried  to  say  something. 

"  What  is  it,"  said  Molly  stooping  over  him 
to  catch  the  faint  words. 

"  Don'  let  'im  git  at  me  'fo'  I  die." 


224  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  Molly's  eyes  filled  with  tears,  as  she  turned 
to  her  brother,  who,  understanding  her  unspoken 
thought,  impulsively  tipped  the  wood  out  of  his 
little  wagon. 

"  Bless  you,"  he  said,  "  he  shan't  get  you, 
dead  or  alive;  we'll  take  you  home  with  us." 
Molly  nodded  and  John  brought  the  wagon  close 
to  the  boy. 

"  May  we  take  him  home  ?  "  she  said  to  one 
of  the  women. 

"  May  de  Lawd  bless  yo';  it's  a  mighty  kind 
thing  to  do  now.  Jingo,  will  yo'  go  wid  de  young 
Missis?" 

Jingo  slowly  brought  his  failing  eyes  round 
to  Molly,  and  whispered,  "  Yes." 

Molly  untwisted  her  red  shawl,  spread  it 
in  the  wagon,  and  the  old  man  laid  the  child 
gently  upon  it.  John  took  off  his  jacket  and 
covered  the  little  fellow. 

"  Oh,  don'  do  dat,  you  will  all  take  col',"  re 
monstrated  the  woman.  John  laughed.  "  Exer 
cise  will  keep  us  warm,  and  he  needs  it  more  than 
we  do." 

"  Did  you  call  him  Jingo  ?"  said  Molly. 

"  Yes,  missis,  he  dun  call  his  se'f  dat.     Good- 


JINGO. 225 

bye,  Jingo,  I  trus'  de  Lawd  will  make  yo'  well  bye 
un  bye,"  and  the  woman  stroked  the  curly  hair 
off  the  hot  forehead. 

"  Come,  John,  it  is  getting  dark  and  cold  • 
good-bye,  uncle,"  Molly  said  to  the  old  man  as  she 
turned  away. 

"  Good-bye,  good-bye,  God  bless  yo'." 

"  I  wonder  where  they  will  sleep  to-night  ?" 
said  John  looking  back  at  the  group  of  tired  rag 
ged  negroes  bearing  their  scanty  parcels  of  food 
and  clothing  with  them.  They  walked  slowly 
along  the  gray  road,  on  and  on,  beside  the  dark 
sluggish  canal  creeping  between  interminable 
miles  of  blackened  and  ruined  trees.  The  buz 
zard  rose  and  flew  slowly  away  into  the  gathering 
shadows.  Poor  souls!  many  of  them  found  the 
north  cold  and  forbidding,  and  quite  devoid  of  the 
glorious  halo  with  which  their  fancy  had  sur 
rounded  it. 

Molly  and  John  walked  homeward  as  fast  as 
their  load  permitted,  Jingo  lay  very  still  curled 
up  in  the  wagon ;  John  thought  he  was  asleep,  but 
when  he  stooped  for  a  closer  view  the  dull  eyes 
met  his  with  a  little  more  intelligence  in  them 
than  John  had  seen  before. 

(15) 


226  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"Are  you  comfortable,  Jingo  ?"  he  asked.  The 
parched  little  lips  formed  the  word,  "  Yes,"  but  so 
weakly  that  John  and  Molly  were  thankful  when 
they  reached  the  house.  Twilight  had  closed 
around  them  and  Molly  was  shivering  a  little  in 
spite  of  the  active  exercise  she  had  taken. 

John  carried  the  waif  in  and  placed  him  on 
a  thick  comfortable  that  Molly  laid  before  the 
fireplace.  A  match  was  applied  to  the  pile  of 
cones,  and  soon  there  was  a  crackling  fire,  which 
Molly  found  most  cheering  with  its  dancing  light. 

"He  looks  like  a  cone  himself,"  remarked 
John  surveying  Jingo  as  he  laid  him  down,  "  one 
of  those  long  gray  ones,  doesn't  he  ?"  Molly  put 
a  cushion  under  the  limp  little  head. 

"  Does  that  feel  good.  Jingo  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Yes,"  and  the  mite  stretched  his  limbs  out 
feebly.  Molly  smiled. 

"  That  stretch  is  a  good  sign ;  there  is  life  in 
him  yet.  Now  I'll  warm  some  milk  for  him." 

"  Molly,  I'll  sleep  on  the  settee  to-night  and 
watch  him  and  keep  up  the  fire,"  said  John,  much 
interested  in  their-  new  acquisition,  "  he  seems  so 
comfortable  where  he  is,  don't  thee  think  we  had 
better  leave  him  there  ?" 


JINGO.  227 

"  I  think  we  will ;  look,  he  is  going  to  sleep," 
and  indeed  the  warm  milk  and  soft  bed  had  much 
refreshed  the  weak,  weary  little  frame,  and  sleep 
soon  wrapped  him  in  its  kindly  influences.  Morn 
ing  found  him  much  better ;  and  plenty  of  hoe- 
cake  and  milk  with  judicious  doses  of  quinine  for 
a  few  days  set  Jingo  on  his  feet  again  so  that  he 
soon  became  a  source  of  amusement  to  the  family, 
out-rivalling  even  the  squirrel. 

One  afternoon  about  three  weeks  after  Jingo 
had  become  a  member  of  the  Haydock  family, 
Molly  was  in  the  kitchen  mixing  the  bannock  for 
supper.  Jingo  sat  on  the  floor  near  the  stove 
watching  her  movements  with  interest. 

"  Jingo,"  she  said,  "  can't  you  find  me  two  or 
three  more  eggs  in  the  barn  ?" 

"  Cracky,  Miss  Molly,  but  you  scarred  me 
speakin'  so  onexpected,  I  was  jess  a  feedin'  dis 
yere  greedy  squirrel  with  ches'nuts  an'  now  look, 
he's  dun  grabbed  'em  all,"  and  Jingo  looked  re 
gretfully  at  a  very  big  chestnut  that  Bunny  was 
twisting  and  turning  with  the  rapidity  of  a  pres- 
tigiator,  in  his  little  pink  claws. 

"  You  wanted  that  one  yourself,  didn't  you, 
Jingo  ?"  ask  Molly,  laughing.  "  I  wonder  how 


228  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

many  the  squirrel  has  gotten  anyway  ?  Comer 
go  look  for  the  eggs." 

"Sartain,"  said  Jingo,  turning  a  summerset 
out  of  the  kitchen  door.  The  squirrel,  startled  by 
the  sudden  movement,  stuffed  the  big  nut  in  his 
cheek  and  scrambled  up  a  branch  of  burning 
bush  that  ornamented  the  dresser.  In  a  second 
or  two  Jingo  returned,  popping  his  head  into  the 
doorway  with  the  anxious  questions, 

"  Do  yere  t'ink  dat  old  hen's  safe  ?" 

"Safe?  Why  isn't  she  safe?"  asked  Molly, 
turning  to  look  at  the  boy. 

"  Safe  to  lay,  I  fancy  he  means,"  remarked 
John  coming  in  at  that  minute,  "is  that  itr 
Jingo?" 

"  No,  sah,"  answered  Jingo,  solemnly,  "  When 
I  histed  her  tail  feadders  up  yesterday  to  'quire 
as  to  whedder  she  dun  lay  any  eggs,  she  didn't 
'predate  de  pint  an'  'cipitated  herse'f  into  my 
face,  screamin'  nuff  to  brung  all  de  sodgers  right 
down  'pon  us.  I  'clare  I  was  so  s'prised  I  jess  sot 
plum  down  on  a  heap  o'  hay." 

"And  stayed  there  a  half  an  hour,  I  don't 
doubt,"  said  Molly.  "  Jingo,  if  you  don't  get  me 
some  eggs  right  away,  you  shall  not  have  any 
corncake  for  supper." 


JINGO.  229 

"  Oh,  my  gracious,  Miss  Molly,  yer  won't  say 
dat !"  and  the  small  black  figure  vanished  before 
John  had  time  to  throw  after  him  the  cone  he  had 
picked  up  for  that  purpose.  John  laughed  and 
remarked, 

"  Jingo  is  getting  spoiled,  Molly." 

"Well,  we'll  unspoil  him  sometime;  he  is 
young  enough  to  be  improved." 

Mrs.  Haydock  just  then  entered  the  kitchen. 

"  Molly,  here  are  two  soldiers  wanting  some 
thing  to  eat,"  she  said. 

"  Oh,  dear,  good-bye  to  my  nice  corn-bread. 
I  have  one  beautiful  panful  just  baked,  and  the 
eggs  gave  out  for  the  rest ." 

"  Hush,  don't  even  suggest  we  have  eggs," 
said  John,  "they  will  want  our  hens  next;  are 
they  blue  coats  or  gray,  mother?" 

"  Gray,"  said  his  mother,  taking  the  pan  of 
golden  brown  corn-bread,  and  putting  part  of  it 
on  a  plate  which  she  carried  into  the  living  room. 
John  took  in  the  pot  of  chicory  coffee,  and  a  little 
pitcher  of  milk. 

"  We  may  as  well  get  it  over  and  let  them 
go,"  he  remarked,  making  a  wry  face.  Molly  fol 
lowed  to  keep  him  in  order. 


230  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

"  Milk,  eh  ?"  said  one  of  the  men, "  You  must 
have  a  cow  about,  she'll  be  just  the  thing  to  carry 
back  to  our  men ;  after  supper  we'll  go  get  her. 
Old,  is  she?" 

John  looked  despairingly  at  Molly,  whose 
face  had  about  as  much  expression  in  it  as  a  snow 
image.  No  answer  was  returned  to  the  men  by 
any  of  the  family,  and  presently  John  rose  and 
was  going  softly  out,  when  the  bigger  of  the  two 
soldiers  spoke, 

"  No,  you  don't ;  just  sit  still,  will  you  ?  You 
shan't  go  and  sneak  that  cow  away  where  we 
can't  find  her.  Don't  any  of  you  leave  this  room 
till  we  have  searched  the  premises,"  and  he  drew 
his  pistol  out  and  laid  it  beside  him.  Jingo's 
small  figure  appeared  just  then  at  the  kitchen 
door  holding  up  a  white  egg  in  each  little  black 
hand ;  luckily  the  soldiers  were  facing  the  other 
way  and  neither  saw  him,  or  Molly's  swift  warn 
ing  gesture  to  him  not  to  speak  ;  comprehending 
the  whole  situation  at  a  glance,  the  black  sprite 
cut  a  noiseless  pigeon  wing  and  vanished  as 
silently  as  he  had  come.  The  men  were  leisurely 
in  eating  their  supper,  the  lookers-on  thought  they 
would  never  finish  and  yet  dreaded  to  see  them 


JINGO. 231 

rise  and  go  in  search  of  the  cows ;  at  last  they 
rose. 

"Come,  comrade,  we  must  get  that  cow  be 
fore  it  grows  any  darker ;  you  may  come  with  us 
if  you  like,"  he  said,  turning  to  John,  who  hesi 
tated  and  then  rose,  looking  rather  pale. 

"  This  is  the  way  out  to  the  backyard,  I  sup 
pose,"  the  man  said,  going  out  through  the  kitchen. 
"Your  barn's  burnt  down,  is  it?  Well,  such 
things  will  happen ;  oh,  here's  a  little  stable,  I  see," 
and  he  went  toward  it  followed  by  John  who  was 
rather  surprised  to  see  the  door  open.  He  had  en 
larged  the  little  building  in  order  to  shelter  the 
fodder  they  were  able  to  collect  from  trampled 
fields  of  corn,  and  Mr.  Gordon  had  given  them  a 
little  hay.  The  men  now  proceeded  to  inspect  the 
rather  rickety  structure. 

"Come  now,  where  do  you  keep  the  cows," 
asked  the  man,  roughly. 

"  If  you  have  any  eyes,  you  can't  help  seeing 
them,"  returned  John,  hotly. 

"  I  don't  see  any  nevertheless,  there  is  nothing 
here  but  broken  halters  tied  to  the  crib."  Much 
puzzled,  John  went  in  and  lifted  the  ends  of  the 
ropes,  he  gazed  around  the  stable,  certainly  no 
animals  were  there. 


232  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  I  know  no  more  about  it  than  you  do,"  he 
said,  quietly  turning  to  the  men. 

"  You  look  like  you  mean  what  you  say,"  re 
plied  the  man  after  looking  at  him  a  moment. 
"  Well,  fortune  has  favored  you  this  time ;  your 
cows  are  saved  for  the  next  fellow  that  comes 
along,  but  our  men  will  go  supperless  to  bed  un 
less  some  other  of  the  foragers  are  more  suc 
cessful." 

"  It  is  a  poor  country  to  forage  in,"  returned 
John,  his  good  humor  restored  by  the  absence  of 
the  cows. 

"  You  say  true,"  returned  the  smaller  of  the 
men,  "we  don't  wish  to  clean  out  the  peoples' 
stock,  but  our  men  must  have  supplies." 

"  It  seems  we  don't  get  any  here ;  those  cows 
may  be  miles  away  if  they  break  their  halters  and 
clear  out  like  that ;  it  is  too  dark  to  go  after  them 
now,"  and  rather  sulkily  the  man  marched  around 
the  house  and  down  the  road  followed  by  his  com 
panion,  who,  however,  stopped  to  thank  John  for 
their  supper. 

"  I  reckon  your  mother  wouldn't  care  to  see 
us  again,"  he  remarked,  smiling. 

"  I  don't  suppose  she  would,"  returned  John. 


JINGO.  233 

He  ran  into  the  house,  noticing  casually  as  he 
passed,  that  a  heap  of  brush  piled  up  against  the 
back  of  the  house  to  dry,  had  tumbled  down 
across  the  door  which  opened  into  a  slanting  pas 
sage  running  into  the  cellar.  The  ground  at  the 
back  of  the  house  fell  away  from  the  front  eleva 
tion  and  quite  a  quantity  of  the  brush  had  fallen, 
blocking  the  entrance  completely. 

"  I  must  put  it  up  again  to-morrow,"  he 
thought,  and  then  bursting  into  the  house,  ex 
claimed. 

"  Mother,  the  cows  are  gone." 

"  The  men  have  taken  them  ?"  she  asked,  a 
little  surprised  at  his  tone. 

"  No,  no,  I  mean  they  have  run  away,  they 
were  not  in  the  stable." 

"Not  in  the  stable,"  cried  Molly,  "but 
how" —  the  cellar  door  opening  into  the  living 
room  quietly,  unlatched  at  this  instant  and  the 
small  black  countenance  of  Jingo  peered  cau 
tiously  through. 

"  Dem  men  gone?"  he  inquired,  taking  a  sur 
vey  of  the  room,  and  advancing  into  it  as  he  saw 
no  strangers  were  there. 

"  They  are  gone,  Jingo,"  said  John. 


234  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

"  Didn't  get  de  cows,  did  dey  ?" 

"  Did  you  let  them  out  ?"  exclaimed  John,  a 
light  breaking  in  on  his  mind,  "  you  deserve  a 
silver  medal,  Jingo,  indeed  you  do ;  but  how  far 
did  you  drive  them  ?" 

"  Didn't  drive  'em  far,  Massa  John ;  dey's  in 
de  sullar,  tought  dey's  cotch  cold  bein'  out  all 
night,"  said  the  boy,  going  to  the  fire. 

"  Why  you're  all  wet,  Jingo,"  said  Molly,  "just 
dripping." 

"Spec*  I  am,  Miss  Molly;  Massa  John  did 
tell  me  part  of  de  'lantic  ocean  run  troo  de  sullar, 
but  I  didn't  honestly  'blieve  him  an'  so  I  tumbled 
in.  Goin'  to  'blieve  ebery  single  ting  he  tell  me 
after  dis."  Jingo  always  had  had  rather  a  hor 
ror  of  the  dark  cellar,  which  John  encouraged, 
fearing  he  might  be  tempted  to  help  himself  to 
the  milk  which  was  kept  there ;  so  he  had  never 
been  in  it  before ;  taking  this  horror  into  account, 
it  was  all  the  more  laudable  of  Jingo  to  venture 
in  to  save  the  heifers. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  I  had  better  get  the  cows 
out  now.  Did  you  put  all  that  brush  over  the 
cellar  door  too,  Jingo  ?" 

"  Yes,  sah,  it  was  mighty  hard  creepin'  troo 


JINGO.  235 

to  get  de  cows  after  dat,  but  I  was  so  afeared  dey 
would  holler  'less  some  one  was  dere  to  talk  to 
'em." 

"  Jingo,  you're  a  treasure,"  said  Molly.  "  Come 
now  and  get  dried,  you  shall  have  a  bit  of  sugar 
to-night,"  for  a  little,  a  very  little  lump  sugar  was 
still  kept  by  Frances  Haydock  for  great  emer 
gencies,  like  this. 


236  THE  HAYDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   WAR   CLOUD    LIFTS. 

As  the  short  winter  days  set  in  and  many  a 
cold  storm  of  rain  kept  Molly  from  the  walks  that 
were  such  a  relief  to  her  anxious  thoughts,  the 
girl  lost  a  little  of  the  bright  energy  that  had 
stood  her  in  such  good  stead  through  this  long 
time  of  trial.  Nothing  had  been  heard  from 
either  her  father  or  Rosco  Gordon  for  many 
weeks.  From  time  to  time  accounts  came  to 
them  of  friends  who  had  suffered  more  or  less 
severely  for  their  adherence  to  their  peace  princi 
ples.  The  families  left  at  home  were  feeling  the 
increased  scarcity  of  provisions,  and  some,  though 
unequal  to  the  task,  were  compelled  to  walk  eight 
or  ten  miles  to  the  nearest  town  to  get  the  rations 
served  out  to  those  who  were  in  actual  want. 
Corn-meal  and  potatoes  still  held  out  in  Friend 
Haydock's  dwelling,  but  it  was  monotonous 
fare.  The  discouraged  hens,  only  two  of  which 
remained,  gave  up  laying,  probably  hoping  for 


THE  WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  237 

better  things  in  the  spring,  and  although  Molly 
did  all  she  could  for  them,  it  was  a  pair  of  very 
hopeless  looking  chickens  that  sat  with  drooping 
tails  on  the  top  of  the  stalls  when  Molly  went  to 
milk  the  heifers.  The  supply  of  milk  was  visibly 
lessening,  but  Molly  was  thankful  for  what  bless 
ings  they  had  and  would  occasionally  share  their 
meagre  store  with  some  neighbor  more  poverty 
stricken  than  themselves. 

Mrs.  Gordon  continued  very  ill,  and  became 
every  day  more  anxious  about  her  son,  for  although 
Mr.  Gordon  had  succeeded  in  getting  the  money 
for  the  Exemption  tax  and  had  sent  it  to  Rich 
mond,  Rosco  had  been  exchanged  into  so  many 
different  regiments  that  it  was  difficult  to  find 
him,  and  as  the  Northern  army  pressed  closer  to 
Richmond,  official  service  in  that  beautiful  capital 
became  more  and  more  hurried  and  confused. 
Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  Mr.  Gordon's  efforts  to 
procure  his  son's  release  seemed  destined  to  be  un 
successful,  and  the  chilling  fear  grew  upon  the 
father's  mind  that  he  might  be  too  late,  that 
already  the  bright  form  he  loved  so  well  might  be 
filling  an  unmarked  grave.  This  afternoon,  late 
in  December,  Molly  felt  unusually  depressed ;  it 


238  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

had  rained  in  torrents  all  day,  and  the  irregular 
monotonous  trickling  of  the  water  down  the  gut 
ter  on  the  porch  roof  was  almost  exasperating  to 
Molly's  despondent  mood.  She  stood  by  the  win 
dow  in  the  little  alcove  where  her  father  had  been 
wont  to  sit,  and  looked  out  over  the  beaten  sand 
of  the  yard.  Bunny  perched  discontentedly  on 
the  top  of  the  old  carved  chair  and  let  his  long 
tail  hang  straight  down ;  the  rainy  weather  did 
not  please  him  at  all,  and  perhaps,  he  missed  his 
long  winter  naps,  for  it  did  not  seem  worth  while 
to  go  to  bed  for  several  months  when  the  air  was 
nice  and  warm  about  him  and  nuts  were  plenty 
in  the  box  under  the  table  whenever  he  chose  to 
go  for  them.  It  was  a  different  social  atmosphere 
from  that  to  which  he  was  accustomed,  and  who 
shall  say  whether  it  suited  him  or  not  ? 

Frances  Hay  dock  was  sitting  before  the  fire 
reading  from  some  old  volume.  The  spinning- 
wheel  stood  idle,  for  the  spinning  was  all  done, 
there  was  no  more  material  to  be  obtained.  All 
the  cloth  Frances  Haydock  could  spare  had  been 
given  to  her  poorer  neighbors.  Molly's  wardrobe 
had  grown  so  limited  that  one  day  she  opened  the 
old  chest  in  the  attic,  and  finding  a  partly  worn 


THE  WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  239 

dark  red  velvet  dress,  she  fitted  its  rather  scanty 
proportions  to  her  slender  figure. 

"  Father's  ancestors  must  have  been  fond  of 
red,"  she  remarked  to  her  mother,  the  day  she 
brought  this  gown  down  stairs. 

"  They  were  not  of  our  Society  always,"  was 
the  mother's  response.  "  Indeed  I  think  if  I  re 
member  rightly,  that  his  grandfather  joined  the 
Friends  from  convincement." 

"  Well,  the  color  will  not  do  me  any  harm, 
will  it,  mother?  I  mean  does  thee  object  to  it?" 

"  No,  indeed,  my  daughter ;  it  is  well  thee  has 
it  to  wear,"  said  her  mother,  smiling  and  sighing 
together ;  so  Molly  wore  the  old  red  velvet  and 
John  gave  it  his  valuable  approval. 

The  drops  continued  to  fall  and  the  big  logs 
in  the  fire-place  burned  quietly ;  presently  Molly 
broke  the  silence. 

"  Mother,  here  is  Mr.  Gordon  coming  up  the 
lane ;  he  has  rigged  up  the  old  buggy.  It  must 
be  something  unusual  to  make  him  turn  out  on 
such  a  day  as  this.  I  wonder  if  he  has  heard 
anything  of  Rosco  ?  " 

Was  he  the  bearer  of  evil  tidings?  She  ran 
out  on  the  porch. 


240  THE  HA  YD  OCXS'   TESTIMONY. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter,  Mr.  Gordon  ?  It  is 
a  rainy  day  to  come  out,"  she  spoke  cheerily  in 
spite  of  her  fears. 

"  Mrs.  Gordon  is  much  worse  to-day,"  he  re 
plied,  getting  cautiously  out  of  the  rickety  vehicle. 
It  made  Molly  sad  to  see  how  he  had  aged  in  the 
last  two  or  three  months ;  he  came  up  the  steps 
slowly. 

"  I  was  almost  afraid  to  leave  Mrs.  Gordon, 
even  for  an  hour,  though  there  is  an  old  darky  in 
the  house,  but  she  did  so  long  for  Mrs.  Hay  dock 
that  I  had  to  come  over.  Shall  I  carry  you  back 
with  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Willingly ;  I  will  be  ready  in  a  minute.  I 
wish  I  could  be  of  some  real  good  to  her,"  she 
said  as  she  went  to  her  room  for  wraps.  Molly 
watched  the  horse's  drooping  head  with  the  rain 
drops  running  down  the  wet  mane  and  dropping 
on  to  the  ground. 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  from  your  son  ?  "" 
she  asked  presently. 

"  Nothing,  nothing,"  he  replied,  "  I  begin  to- 
fear  I  never  shall — "  his  voice  choked,  he  and 
covered  his  eyes  with  his  hand. 

"  No,  no,  don't,  Mr.  Gordon,  we  shall  surely 


THE   WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  241 


hear  something  soon,"  said  the  girl,  though  her 
sweet  tones  shook  a  little,  as  she  thought  how  the 
genial  old  man  was  changed  by  his  long  and 
heavy  anxieties. 

"  I  am  ready  to  start  now,"  said  Frances  Hay- 
dock,  returning  with  her  light,  swift  step. 

"  I  can  never  thank  you  half  enough  for  be 
ing  willing  to  come,  ma'am,"  said  Mr.  Gordon, 
taking  her  hand  and  leading  her  down  the  steps 
with  true  Southern  courtesy.  Carefully  he  tucked 
her  in,  and  Molly  watched  the  crazy  old  carriage 
as  it  went  slowly  down  the  road  and  disappeared 
through  the  gray  vista  of  dripping  trees. 

"  Miss  Molly,  whar  all  de  watah  in  yere  sullar 
come  from  ?  "  asked  Jingo,  as  Molly  seated  herself 
on  a  low  stool  in  front  of  the  fire. 

"A  spring  opened  there,  Jingo,  after  the  house 
was  built,  and  grandfather  laid  some  pipes  to  let 
the  water  run  out  into  the  garden,  don't  you 
know  the  place  ?  " 

"Yes'm.  Den  dar's  no  danger  o'  dis  yere 
storm  swellin'  de  tide  ?  "  the  sprite  querried. 

"  Oh  no,  did  you  think  the  water  would  come 
up  here  and  drown  us  all  out?  " 

"  Did'n  know,  watah  is  most  onaccountable 
(16) 


242  THE  HA  YDOCKS>   TESTIMONY. 

'ting  'cassionably,  but  I  feel  a  heap  better  now  you 
telled  me  dat ;  Jingo  don't  like  gittin'  wet,"  and 
the  little  restless  figure  began  a  series  of  antics 
which  much  disturbed  the  squirrel,  who  rather 
seemed  to  class  Jingo  with  the  monkeys ;  he  had 
not  studied  Darwin,  and  therefore  had  drawn  his 
conclusions  from  practical  observations.  It  may, 
however,  be  doubted  whether,  had  he  known  the 
theories  of  that  most  ingenious  and  wonderful 
man,  the  little  quadruped  would  have  believed  in 
the  survival  of  the  fittest  as,  from  the  safe  refuge 
of  Molly's  lap,  he  watched  Jingo  cutting  pigeon 
wings. 

"  Molly,  the  kitchen  roof  is  leaking,"  said 
John,  as  he  came  in  from  that  room.  I  have  put 
a  bucket  to  catch  the  drops.  Don't  tumble  over 
it  when  you  go  out  there.  And  Jingo,  don't  you 
fall  in ;  you'll  get  drowned." 

"  No,  deedy,  sah,  Jingo  ruther  be  dirty  all  de 
days,  dan  git  inter  a  pail." 

"  I  believe  you  would,"  replied  John,  pulling 
the  boy's  wool  gently. 

Supper  was  over,  and  John  had  gone  to  bed, 
professing  that  he  was  so  tired  doing  nothing  that 
he  could  not  keep  his  eyes  open.  Molly  knew, 


THE   WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  243 

however,  that  he  had  been  sawing  wood  all  day. 
Jingo  had  been  carrying  in  the  pieces  intended 
for  kindling,  piling  them  up  behind  the  kitchen 
stove ;  he  remained  rather  long  behind  its  ample 
shelter  on  one  trip  and  John  stepped  in  to  see 
what  was  occupying  him.  He  was  carefully  rais 
ing  a  complicated  structure  of  sticks  laid  across 
each  other. 

"  Dat  de  Tow'r  ob  Babel,  Massa  John,"  said 
the  absorbed  architect,  looking  up  at  John  and 
quite  unconscious  that  he  was  spending  his  time 
in  an  improper  manner. 

"  You  won't  reach  Heaven  in  that  fashion, 
Jingo ;  especially  if  you  idle  away  your  time  when 
you  should  be  working." 

"  Don  spec'  to  reach  Heben  dis  yere  way  no 
how,  Massa.  'Dose  folks  didn't,  if  I  'member  cor- 
recly,  dey  got  dere  moufs  all  mingled  togeder  an' 
'dat  made  such  gran'  confusion  dey  couldn't  wuk. 
Now  it's  all  finish,"  and  Jingo  gave  a  sudden  jump 
that  demolished  the  whole  structure  as  his  toe 
caught  the  end  of  the  bottom  stick.  He  surveyed 
the  fall  gravely. 

"  Reckon  I'd  better  go  wuk  agin." 

"  I  reckon  so  too,"  laughed  John,  "  and  leave 
your  Bible  lessons  till  another  time." 


244  THE  HA  YDOCKS*    TESTIMONY. 

Jingo's  share  of  the  work  seemed  to  have 
tired  him  as  well  as  his  young  master ;  he  had 
also  retired  to  his  small  cot  and  the  bright  little 
eyes  were  closed  in  sleep  when  Molly  went  to  look 
at  him,  after  John  had  gone  upstairs. 

"  How  different  he  looks  from  the  first  time  I 
saw  him ;  dear  me,  John  has  sifted  a  lot  of  saw 
dust  into  his  little  black  head ;  what  a  tiresome 
boy,"  she  said,  then  going  to  the  wood-box  she 
took  several  large  cones  from  it  and  returned  to 
the  living-room.  She  put  two  or  three  on  the 
glowing  logs  and  watched  them  burn  and  grow 
red-hot,  still  partially  keeping  their  shape.  How 
unutterably  lonely  it  was !  Yet  had  her  thoughts- 
been  cheerful  she  might  have  enjoyed  the  fire 
light,  dancing,  quivering,  throwing  uncertain  and 
fantastic  figures  on  walls  and  ceiling,  waving  now 
here,  now  there,  as  if  they  were  alive.  The  con 
stant  drip,  drip  of  the  rain  outside  made  Molly 
nervous  as  she  sat  in  the  old-fashioned  rocking 
chair,  and,  listening  to  the  regular  dropping  of  the 
water  into  the  bucket  in  the  kitchen,  she  fancied 
it  like  the  steady  knocking  of  a  small  finger; 
almost  metallic  was  the  ring  of  that  perpetually 
falling  drop  into  the  accumulated  water,  and 


THE  WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  245 

Molly  found  herself  counting  the  slow  intervals 
"between  each  splash  as  it  fell.  Why  didn't  it 
stop  sometimes? 

As  if  feeling  the  influence  of  the  long  rain, 
the  brook  whose  faint  trickling  in  the  cellar  was 
scarcely  noticeable  at  common  times,  sounded 
plainly  to-night,  whispering  the  fancy  that 
shadowy  people  were  holding  high  carnival  in  the 
darkness  below,  while  outside  the  rising  night 
wind  did  nothing  in  its  uncertain  sighing  to  quiet 
her  excited  imagination  or  lull  her  strained  nerves 
to  rest.  The  clock  ticked  louder  than  she  had  ever 
heard  it  before,  and  the  squirrel  sat  upright  on  its 
carved  top,  watching  her  with  intent  intelligent 
eyes,  showing  no  disposition  to  come  down  to  be 
petted  as  usual,  but  wearing,  as  it  seemed  to  her, 
an  uncanny  expression  of  expectancy.  Molly 
arose  and  drew  the  curtains  closer.  The  dark 
corners  of  the  room  frightened  her.  Why  should 
she  feel  as  if  intangible  beings  were  all  around  ? 
She  turned  suddenly,  fancying  something  touched 
her  shoulder. 

"  How  absurd  this  is ;  I  shall  wake  John  up 
to  keep  me  company,"  she  said  aloud,  but  her 
voice  sounded  strangely  to  herself  and  seemed  to 


246  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

awake  echoes  through  the  silent  room.  Surely 
that  was  the  tramp  of  horses'  hoofs !  Some  one 
was  riding  fast  along  the  avenue ;  was  the  door 
locked  ?  She  thought  not,  and  sprang  to  fasten  it 
fearing  unwelcome  visitors,  but  the  horse  had 
stopped  close  to  the  house  and  she  knew  the  step 
that  hastily  crossed  the  porch  floor.  Flinging  the 
door  open  wide  and  caring  not  for  the  rain  that 
blew  in  her  face  with  sudden  gusts,  she  felt  her 
lover's  arms  about  her  and  knew  that  one,  at 
least,  of  her  prayers  was  answered. 

"  When  did  you  come  ?  Have  you  seen  your 
mother  ?"  were  her  first  questions,  as  soon  as  she 
recovered  her  breath. 

"  Just  arrived  an  hour  ago ;  yes,  I  stopped  at 
home  to  tell  mother  I  was  all  right,  and  she  was 
good  enough  to  let  me  come  right  over  here." 

"She  will  get  well  now,"  said  Molly.  Her 
face  was  marvellously  bright  after  the  sadness  of 
a  few  minutes  ago. 

"  She  cheered  up  wonderfully  during  the  half 
hour  I  was  there,"  said  Rosco,  "  so  I  am  going  to 
stay  over  here  to-night  if  you  can  put  me  up; 
your  mother  seemed  rather  relieved  at  the  idea." 

"Yes,  she  does  not  like  to  leave  us  alone, 


THE  WAR  CLOUD  LIFTS.  247 

though  she  has  spent  several  nights  with  Mrs. 
Gordon  lately." 

"  It  is  good  to  get  back,  oh,  how  good !"  said 
Rosco,  "  But  I  must  leave  you  long  enough  to  get 
my  horse  under  shelter,  it  still  rains." 

"  Take  John's  lantern,  the  little  stable  behind 
the  house  will  hold  him,  and  the  cows  will  be 
glad  of  more  company,"  said  Molly. 

"Gladder  than  you  are?  You  don't  say 
much  to  me,  Molly,"  said  the  young  man,  with  a 
gleam  of  his  hazel  eyes,  as  he  took  the  lantern 
from  her  hand. 

"  Ah,  I  can't  say  half — "  she  answered,  "  I 
thought  you  would  never  come." 

When  Rosco  returned  from  stabling  his  horse 
he  thought  he  had  never  seen  a  lovelier  picture 
than  the  flickering  firelight  showed  him.  The 
bright  flames  lit  up  Molly's  slight  figure  clad  in 
the  picturesque  old  velvet,  and,  as  she  turned 
to  meet  him,  the  joy  that  flashed  over  her  glow 
ing  face  was  enough  to  satisfy  the  most  ardent 
lover's  expectations;  he  thought  no  more  for  the 
time  of  his  past  trial,  nor  did  she  hear  the  dreary 
storm  without. 

"Oh,  if  you  only  knew  how  I  have  longed 


248  THE  HA  YDOCJCS  TESTIMONY. 

for  this,  Molly.     Once  I  thought  I  should  never 
see  you  again." 

"  The  worst  was  not  allowed  to  come,  Rosco," 
replied  the  girl  as  they  stood  together  before  the 
fire.  The  squirrel  took  observations  from  its  ele 
vated  perch,  and  seeing  that  neither  of  the  other 
occupants  of  the  room  showed  any  signs  of  retir 
ing,  concluded  it  was  not  worth  while  to  wait  and 
curling  its  tail  over  its  nose  was  soon  fast  asleep. 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  249 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   OLD    MEETING   HOUSE   AGAIN. 

Very  glad  and  thankful  was  Frances  Hay- 
dock  to  see  Rosco  Gordon  once  more  and  to  learn 
that  her  beloved  husband  had  been  able  to  get 
through  to  the  Union  lines,  and  also  to  know  that 
he  had  not  suffered  as  much  as  many  of  the  other 
Friends  who  had  been  impressed  into  the  army. 
Weary  and  worn  he  might  be,  that  was  but  the 
common  lot  of  those  among  whom  he  was  thrown, 
and  no  complaint  was  thought  of  on  this  account. 
Indeed,  no  murmuring  was  ever  heard  from  the 
lips  of  these  Quakers,  even  when  they  were 
wounded  and  beaten  for  steady  refusals  to  bear 
arms.  Other  soldiers  risked  loss  of  life  and  limb 
for  what  they  believed  to  be  their  duty,  why 
should  not  the  Friends  take  equal  risk  for  the 
Captain  under  whom  they  served,  the  Prince  of 
Peace?  In  following  Him,  however,  none  lost 
either  life  or  limb,  though  they  did  endure  that 
which  perhaps  was  harder,  the  scorn  and  hatred 


250  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

of  those  who,  mistaking  their  Christianity  for  fear 
or  self-seeking,  branded  them  as  cowards  and 
traitors.  No  people  have  ever  been  more  consci 
entious  -citizens  of  the  United  States  than  the 
Quakers,  nor  more  obedient  to  authority  which 
did  not  conflict  with  what  they  regarded  as  the 
higher  law.  As  to  sacrifice,  the  pecuniary  losses 
of  Friends  were  not  small.  In  one  Quarterly 
Meeting  in  North  Carolina  the  destruction  of  their 
property  was  estimated  in  official  returns  at  ninety- 
six  thousand  dollars  in  gold.  Their  unwillingness 
to  fight  seemed  sufficient  proof  to  the  Confederate 
army  that  they  favored  the  Union,  and  owing  to 
the  same  cause  they  were  pointed  out  to  the 
Northern  commanders  as  obstinate  secessionists. 
More  than  ever  during  the  spring  of  1865,  were 
their  homes  stripped  of  almost  every  comfort. 
Bedding  and  clothing,  furniture  and  food  were 
either  taken  or  destroyed ;  all  available  animals 
were  carried  away ;  what  seed  had  been  planted 
in  the  hope  of  making  a  fresh  start  was  involved 
in  the  general  destruction,  and  no  more  was  ob 
tainable. 

Still  Friends  lived,  and  though  Frances  Hay- 
dock  felt  the  deep  distress  of  the  country  she  loved 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  251 

so  sincerely,  she  could  not  but  be  relieved  by  the 
lifting  of  her  most  crushing  anxiety,  and  daily 
did  she  give  thanks  to  the  loving  Father  whose 
commands  they  were  endeavoring  to  obey  and 
who  had  protected  them  amid  much  danger. 
Poverty  has  the  one  advantage  of  lessening  care, 
except  it  be  a  grinding  poverty  that  makes  hourly 
sustenance  a  doubt.  No  horses,  no  cows  were 
left ;  for  the  heifers  had  finally  fallen  a  prey  to  a 
body  of  hungry  foragers,  and  Molly,  after  the  first 
shock,  was  glad,  for  the  poor  animals  had  been 
going  on  very  small  rations  for  some  weeks  and 
wore  a  pitifully  unsatisfied  look  whenever  she  or 
John  went  to  milk  them.  No  corn  to  hoe,  no 
garden  to  keep  in  order,  made  the  duties  of  the 
household  remarkably  light.  There  were  pine 
cones  and  light  wood  to  be  gathered,  and  John 
usually  took  his  gun  with  him  when  he  made  his 
expeditions  to  the  swamp,  for  a  stray  squirrel 
was  a  not  unwelcome  addition  to  their  ordinary 
fare  of  hoe-cake  and  potatoes.  Did  I  say  there 
were  no  living  animals  about  the  place?  This 
was  incorrect,  for  of  the  two  domesticated  chickens, 
one  still  remained.  Its  existence  was  owing  to 
the  fancy  it  evinced  for  Jingo,  a  predeliction 


252  THE  HA  YDOCKS*   TESTIMONY, 

warmly  reciprocated  by  that  individual,  who, 
when  he  found  John  was  intending  to  convert 
the  lone  fowl  into  a  stew,  begged  so  hard  for  its 
life  that  it  was  granted  him. 

"  Jingo,  it  eats  so  much  cornmeal,"  remarked 
John. 

"  Laws  sake,  Massa  John,  I'll  gib  it  a  bit  ob 
what  ever  yer  kin  spar  me.  It  reelly  don't  'quire 
haf  what  as  dat  triflin'  squirrel  gits."  Jingo  did 
not  like  the  squirrel,  probably  because  the  small 
beast  regarded  him  with  an  unconquerable  sus 
picion,  and  when  perched  on  the  clock,  slyly 
dropped  chestnut  shells  on  to  Jingo's  head  as  he 
sat  at  the  foot  of  the  ancient  piece  of  furniture, 
studying  his  spelling  lesson. 

The  dreary  winter  was  over  and  spring  was 
in  the  air  once  more.  Birds  were  again  making 
their  way  from  the  far  South  and  twittered  mer 
rily  in  and  about  the  great  swamp,  their  gay 
songs  and  lively  darting  among  the  trees  contra 
dicting  its  claim  to  the  name  of  "  Dismal  "  which 
described  its  darker  attributes.  Long  irregular 
lines  of  wild  ducks  were  seen  against  the  soft  blue 
sky,  and  frequently  John  would  bring  home  two 
or  more  of  these  birds  that  he  had  been  able  to 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  253 

secure  as  they  rested  in  the  hidden  pools  of  the 
swamp,  thinking  themselves  safe  in  these  secret 
recesses  amid  feathery  cypresses  and  thick  leaved 
bay  trees. 

In  North  Carolina  the  March  sunshine  is 
often  very  warm,  coaxing  out  the  tiny  violets  and 
delicate  ferns  in  early  abundance.  The  Lady 
Banksia  rose  dropped  the  rusty  leaves  that  had 
clung  to  it  all  winter,  and  displayed  little  sprays 
and  minute  clusters  of  rose-buds,  soon  to  blossom 
into  luxuriant  creamy  beauty.  Along  the  edges 
of  the  swamp  the  magnolias  were  sweet,  and  the 
great  white  buds  of  the  bay  had  begun  to  swell. 
All  felt  the  reviving  influences  of  the  lovely 
weather;  the  winter  had  relaxed  its  hold,  and 
though  vehicles  were  useless  for  want  of  horses, 
those  who  were  good  pedestrians  found  it  possible 
to  hold  some  little  intercourse  with  their  neigh 
bors.  The  meeting-house,  unused  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  winter,  was  once  more  opened,  and  the 
life-giving  sunshine  again  brightened  the  old 
brown  walls. 

One  bright  Sabbath,  or  as  Friends  term  it, 
"  First  day,"  Rosco  Gordon  put  their  horse,  which 
was  still  allowed  to  remain  in  their  possession, 


254  THE  HA  YDOCKS'   TESTIMONY. 

into  a  carry-all  of  doubtful  strength,  and  drove 
over  to  Frances  Haydock's,  arriving  there  imme 
diately  after  their  simple  breakfast. 

"  Mrs.  Haydock,"  he  said,  "  won't  you  let  me 
carry  you  to  meeting  to-day  ?" 

"  Thank  thee,  Rosco,  the  children  and  I  were 
thinking  of  walking  over  this  morning,  it  is  such 
a  beautiful  day,"  replied  the  Quakeress,  rising 
from  her  green-cushioned  rocking  chair  and  lay 
ing  aside  the  old  volume  from  which  she  had 
been  reading. 

"  I  think  you  had  better  ride,  if  you  do  not 
object,  the  roads  are  still  wet  in  some  of  the  low 
places,"  said  the  young  man,  noting  the  sweet 
repose  in  every  line  of  Frances  Haydock's  face 
and  form, — a  calm  that  is  rarely  seen  in  any  but 
the  people  of  this  religious  sect  and  which  prob 
ably  results  from  a  long  habit  of  absolute  trust  in 
the  higher  Power,  and  also  from  their  usage  of 
repressing  all  kinds  of  violent  emotion.  The  very 
form  of  Quaker  worship  requires  considerable  self- 
control  and  this  restraint  has  been  carried  so  far 
sometimes,  as  to  repress  healthy  spiritual  life. 
To  Rosco  Gordon,  with  his  impulsive  Southern 
nature,  the  repose  he  found  in  this  Quaker  family 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  255 

was  very  attractive,  and  its  influence  had  much 
strengthened  and  steadied  him  ;  to-day  the  whole 
feeling  in  the  house  spoke  of  the  Sabbath,  and 
the  clamor  of  conflict  through  the  land  seemed 
very  far  away. 

"  Is  Miss  Molly  about  ?"  he  asked  presently. 

"  She  and  John  walked  down  to  the  meadow 
behind  the  house  to  look  for  violets,  I  believe.  If 
thee  will  bring  them  back,  I  will  put  on  my  bon 
net  in  the  meanwhile,  as  thee  is  so  kind  as  to  offer 
to  drive  us  to  meeting." 

"  Thank  you,  I  will  soon  find  them,"  said 
Rosco,  walking  through  the  kitchen  and  out  across 
the  chip  yard,  where  he  tumbled  over  Jingo  sit 
ting  motionless  behind  the  woodpile. 

"  Why,  Jingo,  what  are  you  doing  ?  I  did  not 
know  you  could  sit  still  five  minutes  at  a  time." 

"  Sh,  sh,  Massa  Rosco,  I'se  jest  a  waitin'  for 
dis  yer  chicken  to  fin'  a  place  to  lay  an  egg  down. 
Ef  she  kin  show  she  aint  de  no  'count  critter 
Massa  John  say  she  be,  den  Jingo  '11  git  a  bit  more 
hoe-cake  ebery  mornin'?" 

"And  how  much  of  it  will  you  give  her?" 
said  Rosco,  much  amused  at  the  boy's  eager  watch 
over  his  chicken  as  she  stepped  cautiously  about, 


256  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

deliberately  lifting  her  claws  over  the  chips,  and 
peering  first  under  one  log  and  then  under 
another. 

"  I'll  keep  her  agoin',  sah,  neber  you  fear ;  she 
aint  kep'  Jingo's  feet  warm  all  de  winter  to  be 
'glected  now  an'  her  comb's  gitten'  as  pinky  as 
Miss  Molly's  lips,  an'  I  plumb  sartain  she's  agoin' 
ter  lay  soon's  she  kin  git  quiet.  Here  come  Miss 
Molly  and  Massa  John,  reckon  I'll  tote  her  to  de 
barn  whar  she  kin  'sperience  som  res'.  She's  dun 
gwine  to  lay,  shuah,"  and  Jingo  picked  up  his 
favorite,  who  was  regarding  him  with  outstretched 
neck  and  grave  eye  and  disappeared  into  the  barn. 

Soon  the  old  carry -all  was  moving  down  the 
avenue,  and  its  occupants  enjoyed  the  balmy  air 
laden  with  a  piny  odor  given  forth  by  the  young 
buds  of  spruce  and  fir. 

"There  was  a  rumor  last  night  that  Rich 
mond  had  fallen,  Mrs.  Haydock,"  said  Rosco  Gor 
don,  turning  to  address  her  as  she  sat  quietly  be 
hind  him  ;  few  words  had  been  exchanged  as  they 
drove  along,  for  a  cast-off  knapsack  here,  and  a 
broken  musket  there,  on  the  side  of  the  road,  con 
tinually  reminded  them  of  the  misery  throughout 
the  land,  the  sorrow  of  bereaved  families  in  the 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  257 

North,  the  double  burden  of  defeat  and  desolation 
in  the  South.  The  vivid  spring  sunshine  and  the 
melting  blue  of  the  sky  seemed  a  mockery  above 
the  mourning  of  the  nation. 

"  And  if  Richmond  has  fallen,  father  will 
soon  be  back,  won't  he  ?"  exclaimed  John,  his  boy 
ish  openness  proving  a  relief  to  the  sudden  joy  in 
his  mother's  heart.  The  thought  of  seeing  her 
husband  once  more,  brought  a  flood  of  feeling  too 
deep  to  allow  of  words. 

"  Could  he  get  through  the  lines  as  soon  as 
the  Southern  army  surrenders  ?"  asked  Molly. 

"  I  suppose  he  could,"  returned  young  Gor 
don,  "  and  I  fancy  no  obstacle  will  be  too  great  to 
overcome,  if  getting  here  is  at  all  possible." 

"  Oh,  but  it  will  be  good  to  see  him  again," 
said  Molly. 

"  Indeed  it  will,"  responded  Rosco  heartily, 
"and  then  Mrs.  Haydock  will  not  want  you,  will 
she,  Molly  ?"  he  added  in  a  low  voice,  a  suspicion 
of  mischief  lighting  up  his  eyes. 

"  May  I  lift  you  down  ?"  he  continued,  as  he 
drew  the  horse  up  to  the  meeting-house  door, 
"put  your  foot  on  the  wheel,  that  step  is  hardly 

safe,"  and  the  light  active  youth  lifted  the  maiden 
(17) 


258  THE  HAYDOCFS  TESTIMONY. 

gently  down  as  with  a  heightened  color  in  her  soft 
cheek  she  resigned  herself  to  his  strong  arm. 

"Now,  Mrs.  Haydock,  the  old  carriage  has 
brought  you  safely  over  after  all,"  said  Rosco  as 
he  assisted  her  to  alight. 

"  Yes,  thank  thee,  Rosco ;  Molly  and  I  will  go 
in  and  John  will  wait  for  thee." 

How  different  was  the  assemblage  from  that 
which  had  gathered  there  four  years  ago !  Then 
there  had  been  an  air  of  prosperous  content  about 
the  congregation  which  spoke  of  well  being  and 
happiness,  in  spite  of  the  sober  mien  of  the  wor 
shippers.  Now  the  gathering  was  smaller,  the 
clothing  was  faded,  worn  and  of  many  fashions ; 
the  faces  were  somewhat  thin  and  pale,  and  what 
of  brightness  they  had  once  contained  was  now 
changed  to  a  sad,  but  calm  endurance.  Many  of 
the  men  were  away  and  the  absence  of  news  from 
them  filled  the  hearts  of  their  families  and  friends 
with  a  wearing  suspense. 

Frances  Haydock  passed  up  the  uncarpeted 
aisle  and  ascending  a  few  steps  took  her  seat  in 
the  gallery  at  the  end  nearest  the  men's  side, 
separated  just  there  from  the  women's  section  by 
a  single  bar  of  dark  wood.  Molly  seated  herself 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN-.  259 

below  with  the  rest  of  the  women  Friends.  As 
she  looked  up  at  the  gallery  where  the  ministers 
sat,  she  could  not  help  contrasting  the  fair  face 
and  dignified  aspect  of  her  mother  with  the  bent 
figure  and  brown  wrinkled  face  of  the  ancient 
Friend  sitting  next  to  her;  the  years  had  been 
kind  to  Frances  Haydock,  and  her  loving  daugh 
ter  rejoiced  in  her  sweet  looks.  Indeed,  this  bright 
morning  filled  Molly's  heart  with  gladness,  and 
as  her  lover  took  his  seat  on  the  men's  side  and 
bent  his  brown  head  on  the  rail  in  front  of  him 
in  a  different  mode  of  worship  from  that  observed 
among  Friends,  she  almost  reproached  herself  for 
her  joy. 

Silence  reigned  within  the  building,  and 
through  the  windows  Molly's  eyes  wandered  to 
the  dull  green  pine  trees  so  softly  outlined  against 
the  deep  blue  sky,  from  which  the  sunshine  fell 
in  a  golden  flood.  So  quietly  had  the  preacher 
in  the  men's  gallery  arisen  that  his  voice,  falling 
with  its  deliberate  accents  on  the  girl's  ear,  star 
tled  her.  Leaning  forward  with  both  his  hands 
on  the  polished  rail  in  front  of  him,  he  enunci 
ated  his  opening  text : 

" '  Is  there  any  word  from  the  Lord  ?  "     In 


258  THE  HA  YDOCFS  TESTIMONY. 

gently  down  as  with  a  heightened  color  in  her  soft 
cheek  she  resigned  herself  to  his  strong  arm. 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Haydock,  the  old  carriage  has 
brought  you  safely  over  after  all,"  said  Rosco  as 
he  assisted  her  to  alight. 

"  Yes,  thank  thee,  Rosco ;  Molly  and  I  will  go 
in  and  John  will  wait  for  thee." 

How  different  was  the  assemblage  from  that 
which  had  gathered  there  four  years  ago !  Then 
there  had  been  an  air  of  prosperous  content  about 
the  congregation  which  spoke  of  well  being  and 
happiness,  in  spite  of  the  sober  mien  of  the  wor 
shippers.  Now  the  gathering  was  smaller,  the 
clothing  was  faded,  worn  and  of  many  fashions ; 
the  faces  were  somewhat  thin  and  pale,  and  what 
of  brightness  they  had  once  contained  was  now 
changed  to  a  sad,  but  calm  endurance.  Many  of 
the  men  were  away  and  the  absence  of  news  from 
them  filled  the  hearts  of  their  families  and  friends 
with  a  wearing  suspense. 

Frances  Haydock  passed  up  the  uncarpeted 
aisle  and  ascending  a  few  steps  took  her  seat  in 
the  gallery  at  the  end  nearest  the  men's  side, 
separated  just  there  from  the  women's  section  by 
a  single  bar  of  dark  wood.  Molly  seated  herself 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIft.  259 

below  with  the  rest  of  the  women  Friends.  As 
she  looked  up  at  the  gallery  where  the  ministers 
sat,  she  could  not  help  contrasting  the  fair  face 
and  dignified  aspect  of  her  mother  with  the  bent 
figure  and  brown  wrinkled  face  of  the  ancient 
Friend  sitting  next  to  her;  the  years  had  been 
kind  to  Frances  Haydock,  and  her  loving  daugh 
ter  rejoiced  in  her  sweet  looks.  Indeed,  this  bright 
morning  filled  Molly's  heart  with  gladness,  and 
as  her  lover  took  his  seat  on  the  men's  side  and 
bent  his  brown  head  on  the  rail  in  front  of  him 
in  a  different  mode  of  worship  from  that  observed 
among  Friends,  she  almost  reproached  herself  for 
her  joy. 

Silence  reigned  within  the  building,  and 
through  the  windows  Molly's  eyes  wandered  to 
the  dull  green  pine  trees  so  softly  outlined  against 
the  deep  blue  sky,  from  which  the  sunshine  fell 
in  a  golden  flood.  So  quietly  had  the  preacher 
in  the  men's  gallery  arisen  that  his  voice,  falling 
with  its  deliberate  accents  on  the  girl's  ear,  star 
tled  her.  Leaning  forward  with  both  his  hands 
on  the  polished  rail  in  front  of  him,  he  enunci 
ated  his  opening  text : 

" '  Is  there  any  word  from  the  Lord  ?  "     In 


260  THE  HAYDOCKS*   TESTIMONY. 

the  slight  pause  so  often  following  the  first  sen 
tence  of  a  Friend's  sermon,  the  heavy  door  at  the 
opposite  end  of  the  house  swung  open  and  a  tall 
dignified  figure  entered,  closed  the  door  behind 
him  and  walking  up  the  middle  aisle,  quietly 
took  his  seat  at  the  head  of  the  gallery.  One  look 
was  exchanged  between  husband  and  wife ;  then 
the  habitual  self-control  reasserted  itself,  and  they 
sat  outwardly  unmoved  as  the  speaker  proceeded 
with  his  address.  Molly  had  half  risen,  but  sat 
down  again  with  clasped  hands  and  head  bent 
upon  them,  not  moving  till  the  first  speaker  had 
finished  and  taken  his  seat  again.  A  moment 
after,  James  Haydock  kneeling,  offered  up  a 
thanksgiving  such  as  had  rarely  been  heard  with 
in  those  old  walls.  It  seemed  to  carry  his  hearers 
very  near  the  gates  of  Heaven  and  a  deep  sol 
emnity  spread  over  the  congregation  as  they  re 
seated  themselves  after  the  closing  words.  The 
services  were  short,  and  when  it  was  time  to  break 
up,  instead  of  shaking  hands  with  the  Friend  just 
beside  him,  as  was  the  usual  habit,  James  Hay- 
dock  turned  and  held  out  both  hands  to  his  wife, 
who  responded  with  a  look  of  such  heart-felt 
gladness  that  all  words  were  indeed  unnecessary. 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE  AGAIN.  261 

The  eager  greetings  of  friends  after  meeting  were 
kindly  received,  but  as  soon  as  courtesy  permitted, 
James  and  Frances  Haydock  drove  homeward  in 
the  old  carryall,  while  the  three  young  people 
sauntered  slowly  after  them  along  the  sandy  road, 
enjoying  the  beauty  of  the  spring  vegetation  and 
the  resinous  breath  of  the  woods. 


26'2  THE  HA  YDOCKS   TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

WAS  THE   WAR  NECESSARY? 

"  You  must  have  seen  more  actual  warfare 
than  I  did,  Mr.  Haydock,"  said  Rosco  Gordon, 
after  tea,  as  he  sat  with  the  family  on  the  front 
porch  in  the  soft  light  of  early  evening. 

"  I  saw  far  more  than  I  cared  to,"  was  James 
Haydock's  reply.  "  I  would  I  could  blot  out  from 
my  mind  the  remembrance  of  one  battle.  It  had 
been  raging  for  hours  across  a  valley,  to  and  fro ; 
the  smoke  hung  in  a  thick  curtain  between  the 
hills  and  through  it  we  could  hear  the  scream  of 
the  shells  mingled  with  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded 
and  the  cry  of  the  agonized  horses,  all  in  one  ter 
rible  confusion.  After  one  desperate  charge  of  cav 
alry,  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  tried  to  gather 
his  men  together  again,  and  in  answer  to  his 
bugle  call,  moije  than  an  hundred  horses  wheeled 
into  line,  but  the  riders  that  had  gone  with  them 
into  that  storm-cloud  were  not  there.  After  the 
battle  was  over,  (and  on  neither  side  was  anything 


f  WAS  THE   WAR  NECESSARY?  263 

decisive  accomplished)  I  went  down  into  the  field 
to  see  if  there  was  anything  I  could  do.  It  was 
sickening ;  heads,  arms,  limbs  in  every  direction, 
a  mass  of  slaughtered  humanity.  I  have  heard 
it  said  that  those  killed  in  battle  wear  a  peaceful 
expression,  and  I  believe  that  a  few  hours  after 
death  that  is  the  case,  for  I  have  seen  it  myself, 
but  these  faces  of  the  newly  slain  generally  bore 
a  look  of  agony  unutterable.  The  hell  they  had 
passed  through  had  stamped  its  impress  on  their 
features.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  that  this  awful  ex 
pression  does  not  last ;  for  if  those  who  are  sent 
home  to  friends  and  relatives  retained  it  long  after 
death  it  would  be  a  fearful  remembrance  to  those 
who  loved  them." 

"  It  is  curious  how  the  features  do  change 
after  death,"  remarked  Rosco,  the  other  listeners 
saying  nothing. 

"  Entirely,"  said  the  older  man,  then  after  a 
pause  he  continued.  "  I  helped  to  carry  one  young 
fellow  to  the  hospital  tent ;  he  was  bearing  his 
suffering  bravely,  but  his  hands  were  clenched 
and  his  hair  wet  with  perspiration.  He  asked  the 
doctor  if  he  could  do  nothing  for  him,and  when 
told  only  death  could  relieve  his  pain,  he  turned 


264  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY.  % 

to  me  with  such  piteous  eyes,  'In  God's  mercy 
pray  it  may  be  soon,'  he  said,  and  it  was  soon.  I 
sat  for  an  hour  beside  another  bright  boy,  hardly 
more  than  a  child;  he  said  he  was  the  last  of 
three  brothers  and  his  mother  was  alone ;  the  cries 
that  came  from  the  amputating  tent  were  horrible, 
for  the  doctors  had  not  time  to  give  chloroform, 
or  to  be  very  gentle  always,  and  this  boy  seemed 
much  disturbed,  so  I  carried  him  down  to  my 
own  tent,  which  was  further  away.  He  was  a 
good  boy,  not  afraid  to  go,  but  grieving  about  his 
mother,  saying,  '  She  gave  us  all  up  and  it  is 
useless,  for  the  South  is  getting  beaten  anyhow.' 
He  asked  me  to  read  to  him  and  I  repeated  some 
verses,  then  he  said  himself  slowly : 

" '  Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of 
thy  youth,'  mother  told  me  that ;  I'm  glad  I  did ; ' 
then  his  words  grew  indistinct  and  I  could  barely 
catch  the  next  verse  or  two,  '  or  ever  the  silver 
cord  be  loosed ; '  '  mine  is  loosening  fast,'  he 
opened  his  eyes  and  looked  past  me  out  into  the 
darkening  'twilight,  with  that  far-reaching  gaze 
which  once  seen  is  never  forgotten  ;  he  crossed  his 
hands  on  his  breast  and  with  a  long  soft  breath, 
was  gone.  I  was  alone  in  my  tent." 


WAS  THE  WAR  NECESSARY?  265 

No  one  broke  the  hush  that  followed.  Molly 
was  crying  softly  and  Frances  Hay  dock  felt  her 
husband's  hand  clasp  hers  more  closely.  Pres 
ently  he  arose,  saying : 

"  The  evenings  are  still  cool,  shall  we  not  go 
into  the  house?" 

"I  must  go  home,  I  think,"  said  Rosco, 
"  mother  will  be  wanting  me,  though  she  is  won 
derfully  better.  Good-night,  Mrs.  Haydock,  I 
cannot  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to  see  Mr.  Hay- 
dock  back  again." 

"  The  Lord  has  been  wonderfully  good  to  us," 
she  replied.  "Praise  be  to  His  name." 

"Amen,"  responded  the  young  man,  reverent 
ly,  as  he  stood  bare-headed  under  the  cool  spring 
sky. 

Richmond  had  fallen,  and  James  Haydock 
had  been  one  of  the  first  to  pass  down  through 
the  Great  Swamp  and  return  to  his  family.  Find 
ing  the  home  empty  on  his  arrival,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  Jingo,  he  left  his  hard  ridden  horse  in 
the  little  stable  and  went  at  once  to  the  meeting 
house  as  the  colored  boy  directed ;  he  could  not 
wait  for  the  return  of  his  household,  and  he  wished 
also  to  return  thanks  in  unison  with  the  rest  of 


266  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 

his  people  for  the  many  blessings  of  which  he  and 
they  had  been  the  recipients  during  the  past  four 
years.  It  may  be  stated  here  that  although  many 
Christian  denominations  had  been  separated  in 
feeling  by  the  bitterness  of  war,  the  Friends  had 
kept  their  brotherly  love  and  confidence  unbroken 
during  these  years  of  trial.  As  soon  as  the  Nor 
thern  Friends  knew  of  the  suffering  throughout 
the  Southern  meetings,  immediate  relief  was  sent 
down,  the  Secretary  of  War  promptly  giving  passes 
to  all  who  were  bearers  of  this  assistance,  which 
we  believe  was  the  first  aid  sent  South  after  the 
surrender. 

Richmond  had  fallen,  General  Lee  had  sur 
rendered,  and  the  war  was  practically  over.  Rosco 
Gordon  was  too  true  a  Southerner  not  to  feel 
acutely  the  defeat  of  his  people,  and  though  dimly 
recognizing  that  their  triumph  would  have 
brought  about  a  more  disastrous  state  of  affairs 
for  themselves,  than  their  defeat,  and  that  the 
abolition  of  slavery  was  a  thing  much  to  be  de 
sired,  he  could  not  but  suffer  keenly  from  the  dis 
tress  and  humiliation  that  had  come  upon  his 
beautiful  South. 

Moreover  the  cloud  of  conflict  still  hovered 


WAS  THE   WAR  NECESSARY?  267 

above  the  section  of  country  wherein  our  story  has 
lain.  The  army  of  General  Johnson  was  not  far 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Greensboro,  and  Gen 
eral  Sherman  with  his  troops,  lay  only  a  day  or 
two's  march  away,  demanding  the  surrender  of  the 
Confederate  forces. 

While  awaiting  the  answer  to  this  demand, 
that  event  occurred  which  brought  almost  the 
deepest  sorrow  ever  permitted  to  overshadow  our 
nation. 

James  Haydock  and  Rosco  Gordon  had  rid 
den  one  bright  spring  morning  in  April,  to  the 
nearest  official  station,  hoping  to  obtain  more  de 
finite  news  than  they  had  yet  received  concern 
ing  the  ratification  of  peace  between  the  long  con 
tending  sections  of  the  country.  The  troops  now 
nearest  them  were  of  the  Federal  army,  but  the 
Confederates  were  not  very  distant,  and  at  any 
time  the  tide  of  battle  might  roll  in  one  furious 
destructive  wave  over  their  defenceless  homes. 
Arriving  at  the  quarters,  they  were  struck  with 
the  expression  on  the  face  of  the  officer  in  charge, 
as  he  read  a  brief  dispatch  just  handed  him. 
James  Haydock  approached,  asking, 

"Is  the  news  not  encouraging  this  morning? 
Nothing  very  bad,  I  trust." 


268  THE  HA  YD  OCRS?   TESTIMONY. 

The  officer  looked  up  at  him  as  one  dazed; 
wrath,  horror,  and  grief  all  delineated  in  his 
features ;  he  seemed  unable  to  speak  and  held  out 
the  dispatch  with  shaking  hand  to  James  Hay- 
dock,  who  took  it  feeling  as  if  some  terrible  and 
wholly  unforeseen  calamity  had  fallen  upon  him. 
The  hastily  written  words:  "President  Lincoln 
assassinated  last  night,"  struck  him  like  a  heavy 
blow,  and  Rosco  Gordon,  reading  over  his  shoulder, 
felt  the  quiver  running  through  the  strong  frame 
so  close  to  him. 

"  Let  us  go  home ;  there  is  mourning  in  the 
land,"  were  the  only  words  James  Haydock  spoke 
as  he  turned  from  the  door  of  the  little  building. 

"  You  say  true,  sir,"  replied  the  officer,  rising 
from  the  chair  where  he  had  been  seated,  "  this  is 
a  blow  struck  at  the  hearts,  homes,  and  honor  of 
our  country,  such  as  never  yet  has  fallen  upon  us. 
The  last  act  of  the  national  tragedy  is  yet  to  be 
finished." 

If  possible  the  heart  of  Rosco  Gordon  was 
heavier  than  that  of  his  older  companion  as  they 
rode  home  together  through  the  warm  sunshine 
that  had  suddenly  lost  its  brightness.  It  seemed 
to  him  as  if  his  beloved  country  had  blackened  its 


WAS  THE   WAR  NECESSARY? 


honor  with  a  stain  that  could  never  be  wiped 
out.  , 

The  American  people  had  always  seemed  to 
him  brave  and  honorable.  Had  he  erred  in  this 
judgment?  Had  war  with  all  its  debasing  influ 
ences  brought  them  to  this?  Ah,  he,  as  well  as 
many  of  us,  had  to  learn  that  war  so  deadens  the 
higher  nature  that  treachery,  lying,  fraud,  unfair 
advantage,  evil  of  all  kinds  are  regarded  as  at 
least  allowable,  and  often  commendable.  It  was 
never  proved  at  whose  door  lay  the  murder  of 
this  great  and  beloved  man,  but  it  was  very 
surely  the  outcome  of  a  state  of  feeling  engendered 
by  slavery  and  its  consequent  war.  Frances  Hay- 
dock  was  writing  at  her  husband's  desk,  when  she 
heard  him  cross  the  porch  ;  an  indescribable  heav 
iness  in  his  step  caused  her  to  look  up  apprehen 
sively  as  he  entered  and  the  gravity  of  his  face 
did  not  reassure  her. 

"  Is  there  any  fresh  misfortune?"  she  queried 
anxiously. 

"  A  very  heavy  one,  my  wife.  No,  not  to  us 
personally,"  he  quickly  added  as  he  saw  how  pale 
she  became,  and  then  as  Molly  came  in  from  the 
kitchen,  he  told  them  of  the  crime  unexampled  in 


270  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

American  history,  that  had  taken  place  at  the 
Capitol. 

"  I  said  it  was  not  personal,  and  yet  the  entire 
nation  will  mourn  for  Abraham  Lincoln  with  an 
individual  feeling  that  very  few  men  have  ever 
commanded,"  said  James  Hay  dock,  seating  him 
self  with  down-cast  brow  in  his  large  arm  chair. 
Rosco  Gordon  came  in  and  took  a  seat  near  Molly 
as  she  occupied  her  usual  low  stool  near  the  fire 
place.  In  its  depths  a  few  logs  smoldered  slowly 
away,  scarcely  needed  now  that  the  warm  sun 
shine  poured  in  through  the  windows. 

"  Mr.  Lincoln's  ready  personal  interest  in  so 
many  cases  we  hear  of  has  much  endeared  him  to 
the  people,"  said  the  young  man,  his  eyes  resting 
thoughtfully  on  the  embers. 

"Truly,  it  has,"  answered  James  Haydock, 
"  his  high  principles,  his  unwavering  courage  in 
carrying  them  out,  his  earnest  seeking  to  know 
the  right  thing  to  do,  and  his  tender  quaintness 
in  every  day  intercourse  with  those  constantly 
around  him,  have  won  a  reverent  affection  rarely 
gained  by  any  public  character."  He  stopped 
speaking,  and  a  silence  fell  on  the  little  group,  a 
hush  of  sorrow  typical  of  the  attitude  of  the  whole 


WAS  THE   WAR  NECESSAR  Y?  271 

Northern  people,  under  the  loss  of  their  much 
loved  president.  In  countless  households,  the 
feeling  was  as  if  one  of  their  most  valued  and 
honored  members  had  been  taken  from  them,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  calamity  bewildered  the  land. 

Jingo  crept  in  and  curled  himself  up  on 
Molly's  skirts ;  he  had  gathered  that  'Massa  Lin- 
kum'  was  dead,  and  accustomed  as  he  had  been  to 
think  of  him  as  almost  divine,  this  sudden  and 
sorrowful  event  impressed  him  with  a  grief  and 
awe  only  to  be  understood  by  those  well  acquaint 
ed  with  the  feeling  almost  of  worship  with  which 
the  colored  race  regarded  Mr.  Lincoln. 

And  so  the  mourners  sat  in  profound  grief  in 
many  a  dwelling  that  day,  and  the  horror  and 
wrath  felt  at  the  North  extended  in  part  through 
out  the  South.  Black  and  white  wept  together, 
and  while  feeling  the  death  of  their  President 
most  keenly,  could  not  but  give  thanks  that  such 
a  man  had  lived. 

Here  it  is  time  for  us  to  leave  the  characters 
of  our  tale ;  and  indeed,  where  better  can  we  leave 
them  than  under  the  softening  and  ennobling  in 
fluence  of  a  great  and  unselfish  sorrow,  but  with 
cheer  and  brightness  near  in  view  ? 


272  THE  HA  YDOCKS1    TESTIMONY. 

The  threatened  storm  of  battle  around  our 
friends  finally  rolled  away,  and  they  felt  as  if  their 
prayers  had  been  answered  when  the  last  of  the 
Southern  army  surrendered  near  them  without 
bloodshed. 

Our  tale  is  ended;  will  it  accomplish  what 
was  intended  ?  Will  it  show  that  if  others  had 
done  what  the  Quakers  did  in  regard  to  slavery  a 
century  before,  the  terrible  war  that  finally  exter 
minated  this  evil,  might  have  been  averted  ?  Will 
it  deepen  the  conviction  that  war  is  contrary  to 
the  mind  of  Christ,  and  prevents  the  spread  of 
that  Gospel  which  is  the  tidings  of  "  Peace  on  earth, 
good  will  to  men."  And  finally,  will  the  proved 
experience  of  our  Quakers  imbue  doubting  Chris 
tians  with  a  fuller  belief  in  our  Saviour's  power 
and  willingness  to  protect  His  followers  under  any 
circumstances  ? 

This  has  been  the  object  of  our  narrative, — 
the  hope  of  opening  perhaps  more  clearly  some 
of  the  gospel  truths  to  those  who,  knowing  many 
of  the  privileges  under  which  a  Christian  may 
live,  have  not  yet  grasped  them  in  their  fullness. 
Once,  it  is  said,  when  the  Bible  was  almost  en 
tirely  excluded  from  France,  an  open  copy  of  it 


WAS  THE  WAR  NECESSARY?  273 

was  displayed. in  the  window  of  a  certain  shop  in 
the  gay  city  of  Paris.  Day  by  day  groups  of 
artisans  going  and  returning  from  their  various 
occupations  would  stop,  read  what  was  printed  on 
the  open  page,  and  pass  on.  At  last  a  young 
workman  stepped  inside  the  shop  with  the  request 
to  be  allowed  to  turn  the  leaf  and  read  the  "  rest 
of  the  story."  Many  believers  have  studied  earn 
estly  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  yet  perchance 
not  known  or  felt  the  whole.  May  we  hope  that 
our  sketch  will  lead  such  to  turn  the  leaf  and 
learn  the  "  rest  of  the  story  ?"  With  this  in  view  we 
leave  it,  and  the  reader  also,  adding  only,  in  the 
language  of  Scripture, "  When  a  man's  ways  please 
the  Lord,  He  maketh  even  his  enemies  to  be  at 
peace  with  him." 


(18) 


274  THE  HA  YDOCKS?   TESTIMONY. 


NOTES. 

FROM  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  EXPERIENCES  OF 
FRIENDS  IN  NORTH  CAROLINA  IN  SUPPORT 
OF  THEIR  TESTIMONY  AGAINST  WAR. 

J.  D.  was  conscripted  in  the  autumn  of  1862. 
He,  and  several  other  conscripts,  were  offered 
bounty  money  if  they  would  volunteer,  but  J.  D. 
and  two  others  refused.  Many  arguments  were 
used  to  make  them  accept  the  offers,  but  in  vain. 
An  officer  came  forward  saying,  "  Boys,  I  want  to 
give  you  some  good  advice.  Take  your  money 
and  clothing  and  go  along.  Obey  your  officer 
and  do  right,  or  else  you  will  be  put  under  the 
officers  of  Col.  S.,  who  will  have  you  shot  into 
strings  if  you  don't  obey.  Just  put  away  your 
Quaker  notions  now  and  do  right."  Refusing  to 
obey,  he  was  sent  to  Richmond,  Va.,  but  while  on 
the  way  there  was  released  through  the  efforts  of 
Friends  and  sent  home.  He  was  at  this  time 
a  Methodist,  but  was  soon  after  united  to  the 
Friends. 

S.  W.  L.,  of  Randolph  County,  N.  C.,  was 
another  of  our  faithful  members.  He  had  been 
conscripted  and  sent  to  Petersburg,  Va.  Upon 
his  arrival  he  was  ordered  to  take  up  arms,  but  on 
refusing  to  do  so,  he  was  bucked  down  for  some 
length  of  time  daily,  for  a  week,  and  then  sus 
pended  by  the  thumbs  for  an  hour  and  a  half. 


NOTES.  275 

Being  still  firm  in  his  refusal  to  fight,  he  was  or 
dered  to  be  shot.  A  little  scaffold  was  prepared 
on  which  he  was  placed,  and  the  men  were  drawn 
up  in  line  ready  to  execute  the  sentence,  when  he 
prayed,  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do."  Upon  hearing  this  they  lowered 
their  guns,  and  he  was  thrust  into  prison. 

In  the  Spring  of  1862,  two  brothers,  N.  M.  H. 
and  J.  D.  H.  were  drafted,  arrested  and  taken  to 
Raleigh.  Refusing  to  bear  arms  they  were  kept 
in  close  confinement,  and  deprived  of  food  and 
drink  for  four  and  a  half  days.  They  were  so 
patient  and  gentle  that  ministers  of  different  de 
nominations  came  and  encouraged  them  to  be 

faithful.     J.  D.  H.  was  taken  before  Gen.  D , 

who  said  he  would  not  require  him  to  bear  arms, 
but  would  set  him  in  front  of  the  battle  to  stop 
bullets.  They  bound  heavy  logs  of  wood  on  his 
shoulders  and  marched  him  about  till  exhausted, 
when  he  was  returned  to  jail.  His  brother  N.  M. 
H.  had  been  enduring  a  different  punishment. 
Three  times  they  suspended  him  by  his  thumbs 
till  his  toes  barely  touched  the  ground,  and  kept 
him  in  this  excruciating  position  nearly  two  hours 
each  time.  They  next  tried  the  bayonet;  the 
orders  were  to  thrust  them  four  inches  deep,  but 
though  much  scarred  and  pierced  it  was  not  done 
as  deeply  as  they  had  threatened.  One  of  the 
men,  after  thus  wounding  him,  came  back  to  en 
treat  his  forgiveness.  In  the  various  changes  of 
the  next  four  months  some  kindness  was  shown 
them,  but  also  much  cruelty.  It  was  not  till  seven 
months  had  been  passed  in  these  fiery  ordeals  tlmt 
their  release  was  obtained  ;  another  friend  think- 


276  THE  HA  YDOCKS1   TESTIMONY. 

ing  it  right  to  pay  their  exemption  money  for 
them.  Their  wives  and  daughters  shared  these 
trials,  in  that  they  were  compelled  to  toil  in  the 
fields  to  raise  food  for  the  winters,  till  health  was 
sometimes  permanently  injured. 

W.  B.  H.  was  arrested  in  June,  1863 ;  he  was 
ordered  to  be  shot,  as  he  would  not  obey  the  order 
to  carry  arms,  the  colonel  giving  him  the  choice 
whether  he  would  die  that  night  or  the  next 
morning.  W.  H.  replied  that  if  it  was  his  Hea 
venly  Father's  will  that  he  should  lay  down  his 
life,  he  would  far  rather  do  it  than  disobey  one  of 
His  commands ;  but  that  if  it  was  not  His  will, 
none  of  them  could  take  his  life  from  him.  The 
officer  seemed  greatly  at  a  loss  and  ordered  him 
to  the  wagon-yard  for  the  night.  The  next  morn 
ing  he  was  brought  out  to  be  shot,  and  a  squad  of 
men  drawn  up  to  fire.  W.  H.  raised  his  arms  in 
prayer  and  not  a  gun  was  fired,  some  of  the  men 
saying  "  they  could  not  shoot  such  a  man."  The 
enraged  officer  struck  at  his  head,  but  missed  his 
aim.  He  then  spurred  his  horse  repeatedly  to 
ride  over  him,  but  the  animal  sprang  aside  each 
time  and  he  remained  unharmed.  He  was  after 
ward  taken  ill,  captured  by  the  Union  cavalry, 
sent  to  Fort  Delaware  as  prisoner  of  war,  finally 
released  and,  going  to  the  West,  remained  there 
till  the  close  of  the  war. 

These  brief  notes  could  be  multiplied  to  a 
large  extent,  and  those  interested  in  the  subject 
can  obtain  fuller  information  by  application  to 
"  North  Carolina  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends,"  or 
to  "  The  Christian  Arbitration  and  Peace  Society, 
310  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


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